By M L Satyan
Bengaluru, Feb 6, 2023: Government establishes hospitals to ensure proper medical treatments to people below the poverty line without any hindrance. These hospitals aim to provide social service to poor people who cannot afford the expenses of paying the fees of a doctor and medicines.
But unfortunately, nowadays this is not the case. The plight of the government hospitals is known to all. Indiscipline and irresponsibility have taken a toll there. No qualified and experienced doctors are available in these hospitals where the hygienic condition is bad as they lack space to accommodate patients.
Because of irresponsibility and lack of diligence towards duty, the number of patients dying has also increased. They are not able to survive because they do not receive proper treatments. Only a few government hospitals function normally as they are supposed to. The rest all are a disgrace to society.
One of the most basic amenities which millions of people across the country lack is the access to basic healthcare services and that still remains a distant dream. Hence, commercialization of health sector has been on a rise in India.
The private hospitals are hygienically very clean. They have ample space to accommodate patients, have qualified doctors and the best possible treatments available in their hospital; but for all of this they charge exorbitant prices. They have made this health sector a commercial business. They charge high amount of fees to their patients for check-ups and treatments with profit motives.
Private hospitals recommend tests and medicines unnecessarily, just for their profit. Not everyone can afford treatment in private hospitals. There are many cases of unnecessary surgeries in private hospitals. Many a times, the doctors in these hospitals give wrong suggestions to the patients just in a hurry to make a quick buck. Commercialization of healthcare results in bringing better facilities and infrastructure to the healthcare system. But this should not lead to high costs that are not affordable to many. To provide universal access to healthcare, government should improve the quality of treatment in government hospitals.
Integrative Medicine
It is in this scenario, the need for integrative gains importance. Integrative medicine uses an evidence-based approach to treat the whole person — the mind, body and soul. The physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs are all involved. So, integrative medicine uses a combination of therapies. It “integrates” conventional approaches and complementary therapies to achieve optimal health and healing.
Integrative health also emphasizes multimodal interventions, which are two or more interventions such as conventional health care approaches (like medication, physical rehabilitation, psychotherapy), and complementary health approaches (like acupuncture, yoga, and probiotics) in various combinations, with an emphasis on treating the whole person. Integrative health aims for well-coordinated care among different providers and institutions by bringing conventional and complementary approaches together to care for the whole person.
The use of integrative approaches to health and wellness has grown within care settings across the world. Researchers are currently exploring the potential benefits of integrative health in a variety of situations, including pain management for military personnel and veterans, relief of symptoms in cancer patients and survivors, and programs to promote healthy behaviours.
People with long-lasting (chronic) or complex conditions may especially find the approach helpful. Integrative medicine can help you find relief for many health and medical conditions, including: Autoimmune diseases, Acute and chronic pain, Breathing disorders, Headaches and migraines, Cancer and cancer-related side effects, Chronic fatigue, Cold/flu symptoms, Digestive disorders, Infertility, Menopausal symptoms, Menstrual issues, Mental and emotional health issues, Obesity, High blood pressure (hypertension) and Sleep issues.
Integrative medicine techniques support our body’s natural ability to heal. It helps us reduce stress and promotes a state of relaxation that leads to better health. It can help us achieve optimal health when we engage in our own healing and feel empowered to make lifestyle changes. Adding integrative medicine to our healthcare routine can help us regain control of your well-being.
Some choose integrative medicine because they wish to integrate complementary therapies with the traditional Western medicine treatments they receive. Others prefer the holistic approach to care for their health, and consider integrative medicine more aligned with their beliefs in treating the whole person rather than just a disease/medical condition. Still others prefer the personalized approach to care that integrative medicine offers.
As integrative medicine continues to grow in popularity, research shows promising evidence that integrative medicine can provide effective, safe, and cost-effective treatments and prevent future disease in patients while fostering overall wellness. Patients who have participated in integrative medicine report having established positive, caring relationships with healthcare providers who promoted their self-care and well-being. They also report high overall satisfaction with their experiences.
Universal Health means that all people have access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship. It covers the full continuum of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care across the life course.
The delivery of these services requires health and care workers with an optimal skills-mix at all levels of the health system, who are equitably distributed, adequately supported with access to quality assured products, and enjoying decent work. Achieving Universal Health is one of the targets the nations of the world have set when they adopted the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. It is everyone’s responsibility to work towards the achievement of this goal.