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State Level Convention on Health Sector Budget in Orissa: Demands for a Change
Organized by CEHAT, HRLN, BGVS-JSA, NSA Compiled by Network for Social Accountability (NSA) On the basis of Suggestions received from Civil Society Practitioners and Common Citizens
A Note on the State Convention (containing mandate on future tasks) Civil Society Convention Prepared Charter of Demands on Health Budget in Orissa
Date: 10 June 2009, Bhubaneswar: Around hundred representatives of civil society organizations from across the state gathered today to discuss the problems related to health sector in Orissa and prepared a Charter of Demands on Health Sector Budget for advocacy with the state government in the backdrop of the ongoing Budget Session in the State Assembly.
In the State level convention organized jointly by Mumbai based organisation CEHAT, Human Rights Law Network (HRLN)- Bhubaneswar, Bharat Gyan Bigyan Samiti (BGVS) Bhubaneswar and Network for Social Accountability (NSA)-Bhubaneswar, many citizen groups, academicians, students, and civil right organizations expressed their discontent in the collapsing public health scenario in the State.
The Convention started with the opening remarks by Mr. Siba Sankar Mohanty, Director-Network for Social Accountability (NSA) and Prashant Raymus from CEHAT Mumbai. Both stressed on the need for proactive engagement with the state for advocating for a shift in paradigm from an unbridled expansion of private health care system to a more state sponsored regime that can be more affordable to the common citizens of the country. Prashant Raymus from CEHAT highlighted the declining share of expenditure in the State of Orissa and linked such decline with the process of globalization that is characterized by state retreat not only in Orissa but in many other states of the country and elsewhere globally. Prashant provided time series data on health expenditure, social service expenditure, per capita expenditure on social sectors and rural development in Orissa and compared those with other states. Citing examples of CEHAT’s Activities in district budget analysis on health in Maharashtra, he called for proactive civil society role in tracking public expenditure down to the level of its implementation and holding the government accountable. Prashant’s deliberations were followed by a descriptive presentation made by Prof Bhagwan Prakash, ex-member of the consultative Committee to Planning Board in Orissa. Prof Prakash stressed on the politics of centrally sponsored schemes and the centre state relationships in the context of health budget.
The process of discussion continued with presentations made on public finance of health by the representatives of organizations like CEHAT, CYSD, BGVS, HRLN and NSA. Ms Sashiprabha Bindhani from HRLN moderated the presentations and stressed on developing a gender sensitive approach in economic policy making. Ms. Bindhani who is active in the state on providing legal aid to people in the state in their struggle for maintaining their basic human rights in the state also highlighted the need for the broader civil society to come forward and join hands in making the governance system accountable in the state.
The presentations were followed by a descriptive discussion on the impact of neoliberal ethos and globalization in making health services a marketable commodity in the state and the subsequent distress of the masses. Mr. Siba Sankar Mohanty read out the proposed Charter of demands compiled from the suggestions made by the civil society practitionersworking on health sector in Orissa. The delegates in the convention deliberated upon the set of demands on the health sector budget and the house approved the demands for further advocacy action with the state government. Mr. Gouranga Mohapatra from Orissa Chapter of the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan discussed the advocacy strategies to be followed on the charter of demands. The members present were of the opinion that all the demands made by the civil society are concrete and it is possible to fulfill them in a time frame of five years. It was also decided to wait for three more days for new demands (if any) to come from the people and then the charter of demands shall be finally sent to policy makers for consideration. Given the fact that the present charter of demands has a medium term time frame (the tenure of the present governemtn), the civil society shall keep the charter alive through continuous advocacy action around the same. Mr. Mohapatra also facilitated the session on future tasks identified as below. Future Tasks (a) A consultation meeting with around 40-50 MLAs can be organized to discuss with them the charter of demands developed and to orient them for taking forward the demands to the Legislative Assembly. (b) A campaign shall be launched at the bureaucracy level and suitable strategy shall be evolved for the same on the “civil society charter of demands on health”. (c) A massive signature/postcard campaign shall be launched on the charter of demands to make the people aware of these demands on health. It was suggested that for the present purpose around 100000 signatures collected and 10000 post cards sent shall be a sufficient number to conclude the awareness building process (d) A delegation of civil society shall meet the health minister and the finance minister to submit a memorandum around the civil society charter once sufficient signatures are collected over the demands and sufficient numbers of post cards are sent through the people. (e) Zonal level consultations of civil society organizations shall be organized to highlight the issues raised in the charter of demands. In the context of Orissa, such zones may comprise a set of districts located in different geographical regions. It is suggested that at least four zonal consultation meetings shall be organized within a time frame of one year. (f) Extensive media advocacy shall be undertaken by writing numerous small write ups on health related issues in Orissa and getting them published in the news papers. Efforts shall be made to assist the media teams of the electronic media to highlight local issues in delivery of health services. (g) Extensive Public Expenditure Tracking Surveys shall be conducted and public hearings shall be conducted on performance monitoring of health service at the Block level. Public hearings shall be organized on the findings of such performance monitoring. It was suggested that 100 public hearings shall be organized in the coming year by forming a network of groups working on health related issues.
Network for Social Accountability was entrusted with the responsibility of initiating the process of such follow up actions as highlighted in the future tasks section above.
The civil society convention at this critical juncture when a new government is holding its Budget session holds a lot of significance. The major demands made by the civil society groups include demands for more allocation for the overall health sector, allocations for the strict implementation of the PCPNDT Act-1994, compliance of the Scheduled Caste and tribal Sub Plans (SCSP and TSP) in the health sector among others. The convention resolved to take sincere advocacy efforts in continuously reminding the ruling political party about the promises it had made during the elections and for creating awareness among the policymakers about the demands of the people.
The convention ended with a vote of thanks by Mr. Ratneswar Sahu from Network for Social Accountability(NSA).
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