Providing proper healthcare to the entire population is a monumental task in a vast country like India, with its massive population. The state should take the lead in putting in place measures to achieve this. However, there should be strong support in the form of coverage for a large chunk of the population as also viable private health insurance, if India were to achieve "health for all".

The healthcare segment in India presents a dismal picture, although a great deal of progress has been achieved in the last few decades. One reason that is attributed to this poor development is the vast geographical spread of the country; and the huge population explosion which is still a great cause of concern. One should admit that both these are strong reasons though there are several other factors which are responsible for the poor progress in this area. The Alma-Ata declaration promised health for all by the year 2000. Two things that need to be emphasized here are that the declaration is itself almost three decades old; and India was a signatory to it. It was perhaps envisaged then (1978) that a period of two decades is long enough to exercise total control on the appalling situation prevailing then. Looking back, are we in a position to call ourselves anywhere near the declared progress of "health for all"?

Healthcare perhaps has not received sufficient attention, considering its huge importance. On a relative study of the progress that we have made in different domains, the fact can be better explained. In the engineering and technology front, several new milestones have been accomplished. For example: The revolution of engineering colleges all over the country in general, and in some states especially has brought engineering education within the reach of several sections of the society. Opportunities in the domain also took a giant leap forward with the result that the number of engineers being produced in a year has gone up manifold.

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