NCERT Class 7 Civics Chapter 2 - Role of the Government in Health

 Living standard is defined as an individual’s level of living with regard to wealth, comfort, material goods and, in this context, health. Living in excellent hygienic conditions is a good indicator of how high the living standard of an individual or the nation in general is. On the contrary, the lower the hygiene standards, the lower the living standards. An example of a low living standard is staying in dirty surroundings and consuming unhygienic food.

Public health is defined as the science of protecting and improving the general health of the general population through education, policy-making and research on disease and injury prevention. Indicators such as mortality rate, birth rate, nutrition index, etc., are used to measure how good or bad public health is for a given population

The government can take the following steps in providing basic healthcare to its citizens:

• Considering the case of the Kerala government, state governments can empower local panchayats by funding them, in the process making them a self-reliant healthcare unit.

• Governments can lay emphasis on imparting education regarding healthcare to the local populace, such as healthy habits and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

• By providing sanitation, safe drinking water, sanitation and nutrition.

• Organisation of free health check-ups on a monthly basis will also play a crucial role.

Poor quality of water leads to a rise in many communicable diseases like cholera, typhoid and jaundice. In addition to that, the sources of such poor-quality water often act as a breeding ground for parasites and insects. Particularly, stagnant water can cause mosquitoes to breed, which are the agents of Chikungunya, Dengue, Malaria, etc. Eliminating these breeding grounds for parasites will prove crucial in improving the health conditions of the populace living nearby.

For example, let’s consider the recent outbreak of dengue that happened in a city. Negligence on the part of the civic authorities in maintaining the canals and lakes led to a surge in dengue and malaria cases across the city. Mosquito larvae need stagnant water to grow. Due to pollution and faulty waste management practices, these canals and lakes have turned into an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. It was only after draining the canals and cleaning the lakes with the help of sewage treatment plants and solvents the outbreak was contained.