Background
During my Visiting Fellowship at Institute of Advanced Studies , University of Warwick, Coventry, UK ( on nomination by Dr (Prof.)Shirin M. Rai , Professor , Department of Politics and International Studies ) at the University, I inter alia gave a talk at the National Medsin Conference 2012 ( convened by National Medsin Conference Committee, University of Warwick and attended by students of medicine in U K ). The theme of the Conference was Maternal and Child Health- delivering a better life, which was held on 20 and 21 October, 2012 . My talk was on 20 October, 2012 during the second plenary with the theme ‘Safeguarding Women and Children’.
The delegates were students of medicine and Speakers at the Conference were from medical profession. Interestingly I was the only one from non medical fraternity! This talk was not actually scheduled in my Fellowship programme.How it came about is also is also an interesting happenchance. While I was in midst of a discussion with Shirin regarding our projects, the request by coordinator of the Confernce for somebody to speak on Advocacy came up . Shirin asked me would I like to take this talk, I was game for it.I had a brief meeting with the coordinator to have know of what exactly they were looking for. That day night after mulling over it for a while , I sent an email giving broad format of my proposed talk to the Coordinator ,she in turn put it across to the organisers. It just look a few emails and I was on board.
Now coming to my talk , how do I come into the picture? My intervention was from the perspective of advocacy. I said as much in my opening remarks. Given my background, ( at that relevant point of time I was Private Secretary to Union Cabinet Minister holding charge of his dual Ministries offices) , my talk ,therefore, was in regard to way forward vis a vis conclusions drawn at the conference emerging from deliberations made therein. Hence thrust of my talk was upon post Conference action that is what methodologies were available for implementing decisions, views that emerged from the Conference .
Before my turn came , as was obvious my previous speakers all hailing from medical fraternity spoke from a medical perspective. As I rose to speak honestly I did not know how my talk would be received . But fortitously my talk that day and my interventions the next day that 22 October, 2012 in the Q& A session were well received. This indeed was a matter of great satisfaction for me as it reinforced my faith that convergence is feasible even among people coming from different streams.I have been thinking for quite some time to share this.
Further the theme of the Conference as also my interventions have relevance even to this date. Hence I felt it appropriate to share views expressed by me as a presentation at the Conference through this article on my blog.
Views expressed at the Conference
I began with focus of my presentation which relates to the practical aspects of implementing health care and how to achieve any welfare initiative.The issue at hand was Maternal & Child Health and in this context delivering a better Life. Now this indeed is and should be the objective of any welfare State. Different countries may have different laws and mechanisms , but there exists a common ground.We may term it as a core area of operation.
Thereafter I stressed that my talk was NOT about WHAT measures be taken for delivering better life. For someone who isn’t from medical background it is not for me to comment on these aspects. Given my legislative and administrative background my thrust was upon how to achieve the desired goals.Dwelling upon the approach I indicated that Governmental intervention is a sine qua non for achieving any welfare initiative. In order to ensure that certain welfare norms need to be adhered to in a society, there has to be some policy, guideline or stipulation.Such madatory requirement can be brought forward by the Government.
Towards this end for initiation of any action by the Government it needs to be backed by polotical will .In other words political leadership need to feel the need for an action by the Government. In real terms it doesn’t happen suo motu.Attention of the Government has to be drawn to an issue. There has to be some demand or generation of public opinion on an issue. For this what is required is a consultation process. It is precisely where conferences, consultations or workshops play a crucial role. That is what the present Conference sought to achieve. The view emerging from the collective wisdom of medical fraternity , social activists who are well conversant with the issue, forms the basis for further action.
In most of the countries there are Ministries or departments handling health care issues.
The Way Forward -The real action starts once a view emerges from a Conference .Thereafter I shared the practical issues which aren’t as such documented anywhere. Representations need to be made to the concerned Ministers or authorities in Government . Petitions can be made to Members of Parliament . There are in many countries parliamentary committees looking after health care issues, represntations can rather need to be made to these committees. The committees can hear the stakeholders too .
Now the next level, which is the policy making.This would draw the attention of Government which pave way for formulation of policies and if need be debate in Parliament or enactment of a law. However mere enactment of law or formulation of a policy would not suffice.The same need to be implemented. Hence apart from deliberation on what needs to be done focus has also to be how to pursue it.
Conferences or workshops also need to work out a strategy by forming core group with the remit as to how to secure attention of legislators in other words the legislative reach.
Connecting the dots….That reach or connect is established by making representations to Ministers involved with health care or Members of Parliament. Once interest is generated the Legislatures ‘ intervention has to be sought by way of discussions in parliamentary committees or discussion in Parliament with a view to set out certain benchmarks for women and child health care which cannot at all be compromised.
Summation
Having dwelt upon my talk and interventions in aforementioned Conference, I wish to conclude by underscoring the fact that conferences /seminars , needless to say serve a very useful purpose, these provide a platform for the stakeholders and those interested in the themes of such conferences and seminars and from deliberations therein , emerges usually a unanimous view /resolve to address issues deliberated upon. Then comes the next level , as I had highlighted in my talk itself- how to take forward , that is where advocacy through legislative interventions seeking executive action vis a vis implementation actions , assumes relevance. This precisely is the purpose of bringing this as an article on my blog.
