Health is a socially produced phenomenon which expresses itself biologically. This notwithstanding, rather than emphasize provisioning of social conditions that lead to good health, the emphasis of policy makers is on provisioning of health care services as an expedient to ensuring people’s health. As regards social determinants of health the underlying presumption seems to be that GDP growth will automatically take care of it in due course of time. However, it seems the fear that addressing the social determinants of health would entail a radical transformation of society itself which has kept the rulers away from taking any meaningful action in this regard. The health workforce is also trained to conceptualize health problems and their possible solutions from the perspective of the ‘haves’ rather than that of the impoverished majority. Caste, class, gender, religion and ethnicity are important determinants of health outcomes which no health services system can afford to ignore. Above all, there is a need to understand the politics that zealously guards the present state of affairs; and the politics that we need to engage with for our redemption.
This book seeks to remove the analytical blinkers put on our minds by the ruling elite such that we can clearly see the links between the social, economic and political structure of our society, the health services system as it has evolved and the health of the people. Doing so is the first step to doing the rest.
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