Health

Health is a fundamental concept defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." In the Indian Constitution, health is primarily a State Subject under Entry 6 of List II. The State's obligation is enshrined in the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP), specifically Article 47, which mandates the State to regard the improvement of public health and the raising of nutrition levels as among its primary duties. The origin of India's modern health policy framework is traced to the pre-independence Health Survey and Development Committee (Chairman: Sir Joseph Bhore), which submitted its report in 1946 to address the inadequate, urban-centric healthcare infrastructure. The first National Health Policy (NHP) was formulated in 1983, aligning with the 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration to achieve 'Health for All'. Crucially, the Supreme Court has made the right to health enforceable by interpreting it as an integral part of the Fundamental Right to life and personal liberty under Article 21. This judicial mechanism connects health to major policies like the NHP 2017 and flagship schemes. A recent change involves the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) introducing Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPL) on packaged foods, replacing an earlier star-rating system, following a Supreme Court directive in 2025.