Rural Health: Absence of Mission or Vision?

It is time to recognise that the utter neglect of primary healthcare and its related institutions has influenced the utilisation of health services and contributed to a worsening epidemiological profile in the country. In its present form, the proposed Rural Health Mission adds to the confusion about the country's approach to healthcare. Cost-effective interventions, such as the rational distribution of medical and financial resources, should be part of the vision but they are often brushed aside in favour of the privatisation logic.