COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE FOR POOR MASSES A GRASSROOTS STRATEGY OF DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Existing health service does not provide comprehensive health care to poor masses. Likewise development strategies have not made any substantial impact at the grassroots. These two are related matters. Moreover, Devolution of power has not empowered the poor masses. From local body elections it appears that same old well entrenched political groupings dominated by extended families, clans and tribes have assumed power. through their progeny. General elections are in the offing this year. Discredited political panics with the same perennial leaders who did not achieve much are again jostling for power. It is important to remember that poor masses bear undying loyalty to their extended families clans and tribes, because it is their most important survival mechanism without this loyalty there is hardly any chance for survival in the harsh and merciless environment in which they subsist. Their voting patterns are almost invariably determined by their loyalty to their social groupings. Luxury of democratic choice only comes with economic emancipation. Therefore there is no democratic government worth its name in developing countries including the so called `most populous democracy in the world' it is almost invariably the selfish predatory social groupings or leaders who inflame religious and ethnic passions who wield power. Uplift of masses hardly ever crosses their blinkered vision and closed minds. Without economic emancipation true democracy can not prevail. Prevalent unrealistic thinking puts the cart before the horse.It is the most critical juncture in our country's history. • We have survived thanks to president Musharaf's sagacious policies.Substantial funds have been made available for administrative infrastructure has been offered once in a life time opportunity of.development with substantial economic assistance. Its power wielding social groupings are not very different from our own, viz,extended families, clans and tribes headed by chiefs who are also war lords and thus far more powerful and predatory than our own. Our fate is inextricably linked with that of Afghanistan. If we cannot effectively use our development funds for grassroots development, how our dirt poor devastated neighbor can.We have to present them a model. This requires a radical review of our development strategy and mechanism which have not made substantial impact at the grassroots during the past fifty years. Consequently our masses remain _poor and deprived existing on subsistence economy.Following grassroots oriented development strategy and methodology is based on well documented national and international experience, which unfortunately has been almost completely overlooked by national and international development experts, due to bureaucratic malaise which severely afflicts them whereby they unconsciously opt for the easiest way out which enables them to remain continued to their offices  churning out elaborate plans without ever bothering to assess concurrently their impact at the grassroots.