| dc.description.abstract | The paper highlights the ongoing corporatization of the healthcare sector in Maharashtra is characterized by the emergence of large private hospital chains and the takeover of smaller hospitals by corporate entities. It discusses the implications of this corporatization on medical practice, employment patterns, and the restructuring of the healthcare workforce. There has been a shift towards private education and employment in corporate hospitals, driven by factors like personal indebtedness and reduced government jobs.' Professionalization' within the private sector involves changes in employment relations, performance targets, and constraints on professional autonomy. Cost inflation, medical malpractice, and challenges in doctor-patient relationships. Destratification within the medical profession, with 'star doctors' gaining prestige while early-career doctors face reduced opportunities. The paper exposes the prevalence of unethical practices in the unregulated and commercialized private healthcare sector, such as unnecessary investigations, overcharging, and violations of patients' rights. It emphasizes the need for accountability measures, regulation, and protection of patients' rights to uphold ethical standards.
A significant focus of the paper is on the work of the non-governmental organization SATHI (Support for Advocacy and Training to Health Initiatives) in Pune. It highlights SATHI's efforts in promoting community-based monitoring and planning processes to improve health indicators and empower marginalized communities to access healthcare services and assert their rights. The paper explores SATHI's research, advocacy, and community engagement initiatives to address socioeconomic disparities, poverty, malnutrition, and lack of access to essential services directly linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1-6. The paper acknowledges the challenges faced by SATHI, such as gaining trust and credibility among marginalized communities, ensuring equal access to healthcare for those below the poverty line, and the potential shift of accountability away from the government. It also recognizes opportunities to strengthen the public health system by educating and assisting ASHA workers and promoting health awareness in slum areas. Overall, the research paper appears to critically examine the corporatization of the healthcare sector, the prevalence of unethical practices, and the role of community-based organizations like SATHI in promoting social accountability, addressing inequalities, and achieving sustainable development goals related to healthcare and social welfare in Pune, Maharashtra. | |
