Shyam Ashtekar

The Chinese and Some Asian Health Systems: Diaries of an Indian Doctor: Narratives of Study Tours on a Macarthur Population Fellowship: 1998-2000 Shyam Ashtekar

From the small beginning they made in China's eight lakh villages, China built an elaborate health system in the next two decades. The health system model built by China served as a shining lighthouse for developing countries, though it has its dark spots that I will describe in the concluding part. After 1978, the CMS collapsed and the work-points collective system gave way to user-fees. These widely welcome reforms had knocked off some of the good things from the health system, -- Its universal accessibility and equity. However, it added a burden of paying user-fees for the services. This has been difficult for the poor of China.. Even at the beginning of a 'millenium', India has no worthwhile system of healthcare in its half million villages. I have written this small travelogue for simply jolting the Indian health policy community out of its slumber and point out the lost perspective.