Report based on inputs received from Dr. Abhay Shukla, public health physician and national co-convenor of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA)
Healthcare is a fundamental need of all human beings. Under the onslaught of liberalization and privatization, the public health sector has been destroyed over last more than three decades. This is impacting the financial health of all the working people of our country. Hundreds of activists from across the country gathered in Delhi in a very well organized convention and denounced these policies and declared that “Health is our right, and healthcare for people, not for private profit!”
From 11 to 12 December 2025, over 550 community organisers, health workers, social activists and experts from 23 states across the country gathered in Delhi for the National Convention on Health Rights organised by Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA, or People’s Health Movement, India). They consisted of a very large contingent of young activists. The convention was planned with considerable preparations over the last few months. Over two days, sessions were held on eight themes, all very important from the perspective of ensuring good quality universal and affordable public health services. The themes included strengthening public health systems and ensuring right to health, Healthcare financing, insurance, reducing out-of-pocket spending, opposition to privatisation of public health services and critique of PPPs, ensuring medicines for all, and justice and dignity for health workers.
One of the most striking sessions focused on popular resistance to health sector privatisation. From tribal communities in Vyara, Gujarat, who organised a 60-day dharna to protect their district hospital, to citizens of Mumbai resisting corporatisation of six municipal hospitals, and large movements in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh opposing takeover of district hospitals and public medical colleges under Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs), resistance was visible.
The energy of hundreds of participants from across India was powerfully expressed through resonant songs, street plays and periodic slogans raised by participants.
Various activists, young and old, with a rich experience of fighting for the right to health addressed various sessions. They called for
- a decisive shift towards adequately funded public health systems, revitalisation of the National Health Mission, and a legally enforceable Right to Healthcare with clear accountability
- ensuring justice for health workers, including Doctors, Nurses, Technicians, Laboratory workers, Ambulance workers, Cleaning workers, Helpers, Aasha workers, Aanganwadi workers, etc. who form the core of health delivery systems. A Health Workers’ Charter was presented, integrating key demands across cadres such as secure employment, fair wages, safety at work place, rationalised workload and dignity—affirming that a system which devalues its workers cannot deliver healthcare with value
- universal free provision of essential medicines, comprehensive price regulation of medicines, and a people-centred pharmaceutical policy.
- complete and decisive elimination of discrimination of people on the basis of religion, caste, gender, region, language or place of residence
In education, transport, and a few other sectors, there is almost no regulation of the price that private players charge from users of these services. Same is the case with the health sector which has therefore become highly profitable. Over the last 5-6 years, a very large number of Indian and foreign companies have been investing heavily in private healthcare. Legal experts who spoke on this aspect noted that although the Clinical Establishments Act was enacted 15 years ago, implementation of basic standardisation of rates and quality remains paralysed due to commercial lobbying by private players. The Patients’ Rights Charter notified in 2021 remains to be implemented till date.
On the evening of 11th December, a ten-point policy agenda on right to health and healthcare was presented to six members of parliament from different states on behalf of JSA. All of them spoke positively about their positions related to health rights and key health policy issues.
The national convention concluded with all present reading out “People’s resolve” which ended with resounding slogans.
Onwards we march … Towards health for all!
Towards a Healthy and Democratic India, Without Discrimination, Divisiveness or Deprivation!
Health is our Right!
Healthcare for people, not for profit!
