Dunes International School
Academic Session 2024-2025
Lesson 2. Healthcare Services In India (Social and Political life)
Grade- 7 Social Science
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Answer the following question in short
1. a. Define health. b. List various factors that are necessary for keeping a good health
Answer: a. Health means to remain free from any kind of sickness or injury which could be
physical or psychological.
b. Good health in the broader sense and encompasses several other factors such as;
Access to clean drinking water.
Pollution free environment.
Adequate nutrition.
Hygienic living conditions.
An active stress-free life.
2. What are Public Health Services? Why are they called so?
Answer: Public health services, the backbone of healthcare services in India, are a string of
dispensaries and hospitals run by the government in rural areas as well as urban areas. Their
purpose is to provide quality health care services either free or at low cost.
It is called ‘public’ primarily for two reasons; first, they are established to accomplish the
pledge of providing superior Healthcare services to all citizens; second, the taxes that we pay
are used for running these facilities.
3. What are the main objectives of organizing health camps?
Answer: Public healthcare services are also responsible for organizing health camps to spread
awareness about diseases like polio, hepatitis, malaria, chikungunya, jaundice and tuberculosis.
For example, certain Sundays are assigned as Polio Days on which children below the age of five
are vaccinated against polio virus free of charge all over the country. Campaigns on sanitation
and waste management are regularly planned in local languages by the government.
4. Do you think the Healthcare services are poor and inadequate in rural areas? Give any
three suitable reasons for your answer.
Answer: India has the largest number of medical institutions in the world. Also, the has been a
considerable increase in the number of healthcare services.
However, despite so many encouraging advancements, a large proportion of the population of
our countries suffers or dies due to delays in treatment or inaccessibility to proper health care
facilities.
In comparison to urban areas, the ratio of qualified medical professionals and healthcare
facilities in the rural areas is appallingly low.
Medicines have become so expensive that often illness in the family becomes a cause of rural
family debt in India.
Application Based Questions
1. Falling sick and medical treatments are always a cause of worry and distress for the poor
in India. With reference from the lesson and the personal experience, explain why it is
so?
Answer: The prime objective of private healthcare services is to earn profit, the cost of
services is very high, and it makes it out of the bounds for the common people.
Medicines have become so expensive that often an illness in the family becomes a cause
of worry. Doctors and hospitals too engage in unfair practices and encourage the most
expensive treatment for the patients. Only a very limited section of society can afford
medicines that one requires during illness, and it is also a cause of rural family debt. In
India 40% of the population admitted in hospitals or some ailment, has to take loan or
put up for sale some possession to pay for the treatment.
It causes suffering for even those who do not fall into this category of poor.
Long answer Questions
1 . Write a note on the developments and drawbacks of the healthcare services in India in
the present scenario.
Answer: India has the largest number of medical institutions in the world. Also, there has been
a considerable increase in the number of health care services. As a result of this extraordinary
improvement attained in the field of medical sciences, and availability of good doctors, nurses
and medical facilities, India certainly has the ability to take care of its large population.
However, despite so many encouraging advancements, a large proportion of the population of
our country suffers or dies due to delay in treatment or inaccessibility to proper health care
facilities.
In comparison to urban areas, the ratio of qualified medical professionals and health care
facilities in the rural areas is appallingly low.
2. Explain how public health services work at the village and district level.
Answer:
At the village level, we have small heath centres with a trained nurse and a village
health worker who deals with minor ailments. They work under the supervision of the
Primary Health Centre (PHC). The doctors at PHCs normally oversee the work of many
villages. At the district level, District Hospitals are there which have specific facilities for
testing and treatment and watch over the functioning of health centres. In cities, there
are large government hospitals. The treatment at these hospitals is cheap but most of
these hospitals have shortage of medicines, beds, equipment and qualified staff.
3. Write a brief note on the Costa-Rican approach towards health issues.
Answer: Costa Rica, a country of South America, approached health issues which
became an example for every developing country. Long back, the Government of this
country decided to dismantle its army. The money spent on it was to be used on health,
education and other basic needs of the countries. Later, the Government made an
arrangement to provide basic services and amenities like safe drinking water, sanitation,
nutrition and housing. Today they have been able to become one of the healthiest
countries of South America.
4. Inequality exists in the health services in india. Why is it so? give any three reasons
for your answer.
Answer: Inequality exists in Indian health care system. This is so because-
• Private healthcare facilities are expensive and not within everyone's reach.
• Doctors and hospitals too engage in unfair practices and encourage the most
expensive treatment for the patients.
• Women's health continues to be neglected in many parts of the country. They do not
get prompt medical attention.
• In tribal belts, there are few health centres and they too do not function properly.
5. Differentiate between public health services and private health services.
Answer:
Public Health Services
The public health service is a chain of health centres and hospitals run by the
government.
Comparatively cheaper, delay in service due to over-crowding of people.
Lack of proper equipment and technologies.
Available at a cheaper cost for everyone.
Private Health Services
Private health facilities are not owned or controlled by the government.
Better and faster service is available but very expensive.
They are well equipped with modern machines and technologies.
Only rich people with good earnings can afford this service.
