A report prepared by Kamgar Ekta Committee (KEC) correspondent on the basis of inputs received from Dr. Abhay Shukla and Shri Deepak Jadhav
Every government at the centre and most of the states, irrespective of political parties in power, have been reducing expenditure on public services like health, education, transport, etc. thus crippling them to promote private capitalist enterprises. The public healthcare system, in particular is being deliberately weakened to pave the way for privatisation and corporate takeover. The problem of deteriorating public services will not be solved just by changing the party forming the government, but only by ensuring that the policy of privatization is reversed, which is possible only if workers and peasants take political power in their hands.
The state level Health Rights Convention was held in Mumbai on 28 December 2025 at the Municipal Mazdoor Union hall. It was organised jointly by the Maharashtra Trade Union Joint Action Committee and Jan Arogya Abhiyan (JSA-Maharashtra). More than 150 participants from across 16 districts of Maharashtra consisting of union leaders and activists representing ASHAs, 108 ambulance drivers, ambulance doctors, municipal nurses and hospital staff, and contractual health workers and public health activists enthusiastically participated in the day long deliberations. The convention strongly reflected the growing and significant unity between the labour movement and the health movement in Maharashtra. The active role played by leading trade union activists from various federations including CITU, AITUC, HMS, AICCTU was notable.
The convention was moderated by Comrade Trishila Kambale, a leader of Municipal Mazdoor Union, Dr Dnyaneshwar Mote, a leader of CITU from Pune and Deepak Jadhav from Jan Arogya Abhiyan.
The Health Rights Charter for the convention was presented by Comrade Dr. D. L. Karad (Convenor, Maharashtra Trade Union Joint Action Committee and National Vice-president, CITU). The Charter clearly states that the public healthcare system is being deliberately weakened to pave the way for privatisation and corporate takeover. Government funds are being diverted towards private corporations, while public hospitals and health centres are being hollowed out.
Comrade Karad pointed out that since the policy of liberalization and privatization was launched by the Central government in 1991-92, every government at the centre and most of the states have focussed on reducing expenditure on public services like health, education, transport, etc., thus crippling them and giving a free reign to private capitalist enterprises. Hence, we have to fight to change these policies, he emphasised.
Shri. Ashok Jadhav, President of the Municipal Mazdoor Union said that defending health as a fundamental right calls for launching a massive joint struggle on health rights by people and health workers. He declared that his union members will actively participate in strongly opposing any privatization steps of Maharashtra government.
Comrade Girish from Kamgar Ekata Committee and Jan Arogya Abhiyan stated that unless the well-being of health workers is ensured, health of people cannot be ensured. He highlighted that whenever the health workers participate in campaign for urgent revival of public health services along with health sector activists, the campaigns become ten times more effective. He emphasised that this issue will not be solved just by changing the party forming the government, but only by ensuring that the policy of privatization is reversed, which is possible only if working people take political power in their hands.
Many health activists who spoke highlighted the pathetic state of health care which patients get at public hospitals. Comrade Shubham from Aspatal Bachao Nijikaran Hatao Kruti Samiti shared his experience of organizing opposition to privatization of health services in Mumbai. He explained the anger and enthusiasm with which especially the poor working people are participating in the campaign.
Speaker after speaker, representing various health sector workers, highlighted the plight of health workers and patients due to deliberate neglect of public health services by the state governments. All of them are extremely over-worked and highly underpaid. A huge majority of them are working on contract basis and contractualization is rapidly increasing. Huge vacancies (as high as 50% in many cases!) of doctors, nurses and other staff at government hospitals result in extreme burden on the workers and also results in inadequate patient care. They highlighted that immediate filling up of all vacancies by permanent staff and end to contractualization are the most urgent actions needed. This was endorsed by all the speakers and audience.
Dr. Abhay Shukla from Jan Arogya Abhiyan presented the proposed the joint action program. The convention endorsed the action points. The action points include the following main actions:
- Taking the Health Rights Charter to ordinary people and health workers across the state through joint meetings, public outreach activities and social media.
- Organize fact finding about public health services at local levels and fighting for their strengthening at local levels.
- Strengthening, supporting and expanding ongoing movements against privatisation of public hospitals wherever they are underway.
- Build a broad based mass movement with an objective of organizing state level “Health Rights Long March”.
