Healthcare Access: Legal Challenges In Achieving Universal Health Coverage

Anadi Sahu, IIM Rohtak

INTRODUCTION

"True progress is measured by the health of the most vulnerable. In our quest for universal health coverage, let inclusivity and justice be our guiding principles."

According to the report released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth magazine, more than two-thirds of Indians can’t afford a healthy meal. This problem is not just limited to the rural areas of the countries as urban areas such as cities, metropolitans are grappling with another sort of health crisis which is junk food addiction. Some would argue that healthy food is for the elite class, but this is a myth. Nowadays, junk food is much cheaper than healthier options, which forces many people to buy junk food. According to some data, junk food costs about half as much as healthy food.

The reason for this is the high prevalence of junk food which exacerbates this issue, as its high processing allows for prolonged shelf life, making it convenient for both consumers and sellers. In contrast, perishable healthy foods like fruits and vegetables face significant wastage.

Approximately 18% of India's fruit and vegetable production, valued at Rs 13,300 crore annually, is lost due to various factors. “The lack of refrigerated transport and high-quality cold storage facilities for food manufacturers and sellers are major contributors to this wastage.”