Description

Health is universally recognized as an essential good. Health is man's greatest

possession, for it lays a solid foundation for happiness. According to Buddha of all the

gains, the gains of health are the highest and the best.1 Health is not only a

quintessential good for leading a happy life for an individual but it is also necessary

is known to have side; Health is vital for ethical, artistic, material and spiritual

development of man.2

Like the proverbial elephant, health is difficult to be defined, but easy to be

stooped when we see it.3 Health is often taken as identical with physician well being

or freedom for disease. But according to World Health Organization, 'health is a state

of physical mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or

infirmity'. The definition provided by WHO underlines health as an integral part of

what individuals need in order to realize their full potential and derive satisfaction

from life. Health is therefore, not an end in itself but it is a means towards the

fulfillment of the latent possibilities of us all and also a means of ensuring an

acceptable quality of life4 In other words, health is axiomatic to human development.5

Health is placed inextricable at the heart of social and economic concerns.

Empowerment of people comes from the freedom they enjoy, and this includes among

others, freedom from poverty, hunger, and malnutrition, and freedom to work and

lead a healthy life.6 Access to health care is critical to improving health status and

good health is necessary for empowerment. Ensuring access to health care help to

minimize absenteeism, enhance labor productivity, and prevent misery. Government

intervention in health is also argues for, due to the presence of high degree of

asymmetric information in the health sector. Not surprisingly, throughout the world,

governments have had a significant role in providing and regulating health services

and their role is particularly important in developing in countries with large.