Important Questions: Role of Government in Health | Social Studies (SST) Class 7 PDF Download

Q1: Describe the Costa Rican philosophy on health.
Ans: Costa Rican Health Approach

• One of the healthiest nations in South America is Costa Rica.
• The Costa Rican Constitution serves as the primary justification for this.
• The Costa Rican government made a crucial decision by choosing not to have an army.
• The government diverted that fund and was able to use the extra funds for the people’s fundamental necessities, such as health care and education.
• According to the Costa Rican government, a nation must be in good health to grow.
• It pays close attention to the well-being of its citizens.
• The Costa Rican government offers its citizens the basic amenities and services.
• It offers accommodation, food, sanitation, and access to clean water.
• Education on health is also valued highly.
• Health education is a very important component of education at all levels.

Q2: Describe the various flaws in health services.
Ans: The term “health services” refers to facilities like treatments, procedures, diagnoses, and other services that assist residents in preserving and improving their health.
Private and governmental healthcare services are available. Both have advantages and disadvantages. The distinctions between private health care managed by the general public and public health services managed by the government are the subject of countless discussions, debates, lectures, and viewpoints.
The following are some of the health services’ many flaws:

• It is undeniably true that private health care offers superior health services. Public health services are sometimes not as per the private health standards and frequently encounter issues like a doctor shortage.
• Additionally, delays in public health care are common. Insufficient facilities result in patients being refused basic care, which is never the case with private healthcare.
• Most public healthcare facilities are also unclean, increasing the risk of transmission of diseases.
• Private health care is exceedingly expensive and out of reach for the underprivileged. Everything there is incredibly expensive, including the tests and medications. Public health care is not to blame in this situation because everyone can access it, and it is relatively affordable or even free.

Q3: Describe Kerala’s experience with healthcare services.
Ans: The Kerala  experience:

• In 1996,  the Keralan administration made several significant reforms in the state.
• Panchayats received 40% of the overall state budget. They make plans and arrangements to meet their needs. This enables a village to provide appropriate food, water, women’s empowerment, and education plans.
• Consequently, water supply plans were examined, school and Anganwadi operations were confirmed, and particular community issues were addressed.
• Additionally, hospitals were upgraded.
• All of this made the situation better.
• Despite these efforts, issues such as a lack of doctors, inadequate hospital beds, and a scarcity of drugs are yet to be resolved.

Q4: How can illness in a low-income household bring so much worry and distress?
Ans: The following are the reasons how illness in low-income families can cause so much distress:

• Every disease in the family is a source of significant worry and suffering for the impoverished.
• Low-income families frequently experience such cases. In general, the undernourished are often poor people with no money or additional resources.
• These families don’t consume as much food as they ought to. Essentials, including clean surroundings, proper shelter, and access to water, are not provided. So they have a much higher chance of becoming sick.
• Their health worsens as a result of the medical bills.
• Sometimes, accessing quality medical care may not always depend on having enough money.
• Women are not taken to the doctor quickly as it is not considered very important.
• They are less concerned about their health than the family’s male members.
• Few and poorly operated health centres may be found in many tribal regions. The tribal people lack access to even private health care.

Q5: Can everyone access quality healthcare? Explain.
Ans: Not everyone has access to adequate healthcare.

• Public services are not growing, while private facilities are.
• Private services are expensive and largely concentrated in cities.
• The public services must be used by the poor. In case someone in the family becomes ill, they have to borrow money to pay for the expenses.
• Sometimes, unethical practices are followed to increase the medical bill, such as ordering several tests or medications.
• Only approximately 20% of people can afford all the necessary medications, and more than 40% of people have to borrow money.
• Health issues are disregarded when they pertain to women and indigenous regions.

Q6: What justifies the term “public” for health care services?
Ans: For numerous reasons, health care is referred to as  “public.”

• They adhere to their promise to offer healthcare to all residents.
• These medical facilities were built by the government.
• The money that the general public contributes to the government through taxes is used to fund these services.
• Everyone is welcome to use these services.
• The availability of high-quality healthcare services at no cost or cheap is one of the most crucial components of the public health system.
• Even the underprivileged can go there for therapy.
• Another important duty of public health is to prevent the spread of illnesses like TB, malaria, jaundice, cholera, diarrhoea, chikungunya, etc.

Q7: Describe health. Describe the elements that influence health.
Ans: Health:

• Health refers to our capacity to avoid sickness and injury.
• The disease is merely one aspect of health. It also has connections to other elements.
• We do need to consider other elements that impact our health besides sickness.
• Other things also have an impact on our health.
• People are more likely to be healthy if they have clean drinking water or live in a clean environment.
• On the other hand, individuals will be infected with diseases if they do not have enough to eat or live in unclean surroundings.
• We all like being healthy and happy all the time.
• Long periods of boredom, inactivity, anxiety or fear are not healthy. We all require adequate rest from time to time.

 
Q8: ‘Improvement in water and sanitation can control many diseases.’ Explain with the help of examples.
Ans: Numerous infectious diseases, such as cholera, typhoid, and jaundice, are rising due to poor quality of water. Additionally, water sources of such poor quality frequently serve as a breeding ground for insects and parasites. In particular, standing water can encourage the breeding of mosquitoes, which are carriers of diseases including malaria, dengue, and chikungunya. Improving the local population’s health will depend on getting rid of these breeding grounds.
Take the most recent dengue epidemic in the city as an example. Dengue and malaria incidences in the city are rising due to local officials’ negligence in maintaining the canals and lakes. Stagnant water is necessary for mosquito larvae to thrive. These canals and lakes have become the perfect mosquito breeding grounds due to pollution and poor waste management techniques. The epidemic wasn’t contained until the canals were drained and the lakes were cleaned with sewage treatment facilities and solvents.

Q9: In this chapter, you have read that health is a wider concept than illness. Observe this quote from the Constitution and explain the terms’ living standard’ and ‘public health in your own words. An important aspect of the Constitution says it is the state’s ” duty to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living and to improve public health”.
Ans: A person’s quality of living is determined by their wealth, comfort, access to material possessions, and, in this case, their degree of health. Excellent living circumstances are a good measure of a person’s or a country’s overall standard of living.  On the contrary, the quality of living declines as cleanliness standards deteriorate. e. A poor quality l of life could include eating unhygienic food and residing in unclean and dirty apartments devoid of basic amenities.
The science of safeguarding and enhancing the general well-being of the population through illness and preventive injury research, policy development, and education is known as public health. Indicators like mortality rate, birth rate, nutrition index, etc., assess how well or poorly a population’s public health is performing.

Q10: What are the different ways through which the government can take steps to provide healthcare for all? Discuss.
Ans: The government can take the following actions to provide its population with basic healthcare:

• State governments may strengthen local panchayats by providing adequate finance at their level, just like the Keralan government, turning them into self-sufficient healthcare organisations.
• Another good example is “Mohalla Clinics” which is an initiative of Delhi government. These clinics are spread across the Delhi area and provide primary health care services to residents of Delhi. These clinics help reduce the financial burden on low-income households by saving travel costs and lost wages. 
• Governments can focus on educating the local population about healthcare issues, such as good behaviours and the advantages of a healthy lifestyle.
•  By offering nourishment, sanitisation,  safe drinking water, and sanitation.
• The monthly organisation of free health examinations will also play a significant role.

Q11: What steps may be taken to eliminate inequalities in healthcare services?
Ans: The following steps can be taken to eliminate inequalities:

• The poor health of the populace in our nation is a result of unequal access to medical care.
• All its residents, especially the underprivileged and the needy, must have access to good -quality healthcare services, which is the responsibility of the government. .
• Basic facilities and societal situations have an impact on health. Therefore, it is essential to enhance our population’s health in a feasible way.
• There is an increase in private healthcare in urban areas and the increasing cost of these services, whereas public healthcare hasn’t improved much.
• The poor people do not have access to basic necessities like water, housing, etc.
• Lack of money also prevents them from getting proper treatment, and most of them have to borrow money for treatment.

 
Q12: Describe the statement: ‘Medical expenses cause hardship for all.’
Ans: Public healthcare is less common than private healthcare.

• Private healthcare is commercially driven. They recommend expensive tests, medications, etc.
• Instead of using less expensive options like pills, doctors often administer injections and saline bottles.
• Even those who may not be in need of assistance cannot afford the procedure. Medical expenses can be beyond the reach of the average person. Only 20% can afford all the medicines. 
• Of all patients hospitalised, almost 40% must borrow money to cover medical costs.

Q13: What ruling did the court make in the Hakim Sheikh case?
Ans: The following ruling was made by the court in the case of Hakim Sheik:

• According to the Indian Constitution, the people’s welfare is the government’s primary responsibility.
• Additionally, it emphasises the need for universal healthcare facilities.
• The right to life of each and every person must be protected by the government.
• The court declared that Hakim Sheikh’s struggle could have cost him his life if a hospital had been unable to treat the patient promptly.
• The court further said that the government must provide essential health services and treatment in an emergency.
• Hospitals and medical professionals must fulfil their obligation to provide the necessary care.
• Treatment for Hakim Sheikh was refused at eight different government hospitals.
• The Court requested that the State Government reimburse his medical expenses.

 
Q14: Describe the key components of public health services.
Ans: Primary characteristics of public health services:

• The government-run Public Health Service is a network of clinics and hospitals.
• They cover both rural and urban regions.

They offer care for various issues, from common ailments to specialised treatments.

• There are health centres at the village level.
• A nurse and a local health worker are often present.
• They have received training in treating common ailments.
• They are employed by Primary Healthcare and are supervised by physicians (PHC).
• This centre serves several remote settlements.
• The District Hospital is located at the district level.
• It oversees every healthcare facility.
• Both general government hospitals like the one to which Aman was sent and specialised government hospitals like those described in Hakim Sheikh’s account are common in large cities.
• Another good example is “Mohalla Clinics” which is an initiative of Delhi government. These clinics are set up to provide local healthcare primary care services. The clinics help reduce the financial burden on low-income households in Delhi by saving travel costs and lost wages. 

Q15: What changes have been made to the healthcare systems in India?
Ans: Numerous advancements include:

•  India has the largest number of medical schools worldwide.
• Every year, nearly 15,000 new doctors qualify for the medical college.
•  From approx. 11,174 hospitals in 1991 to approx. to 18,218 hospitals by the year 2000.
• The expansion of medical travel is due to affordable therapies.
• India is the fourth-largest manufacturer of pharmaceuticals and also exports medicine.