Article 12: 1. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of health care in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, access to health care services, including those related to family planning. 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph I of this article, States Parties shall ensure to women appropriate services in connection with pregnancy, confinement and the post-natal period, granting free services where necessary, as well as adequate nutrition during pregnancy and lactation. 1 2 Article 47: Duty of the State to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living and to improve public health.—The State shall regard the raising of the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health as among its primary duties and, in particular, the State shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health. 2.1 Goal The policy envisages as its goal the attainment of the highest possible level of health and 3 68 wellbeing for all at all ages, through a preventive and promotive health care orientation in all developmental policies, and universal access to good quality health care services without anyone having to face financial hardship as a consequence. This would be achieved through increasing access, improving quality and lowering the cost of healthcare delivery. 2.4.3.1 Health finance a. Increase health expenditure by Government as a percentage of GDP from the existing 1.15% to 2.5 % by 2025. b. Increase State sector health spending to > 8% of their budget by 2020. c. Decrease in proportion of households facing catastrophic health expenditure from the current levels by 25%, by 2025 4 https://nhrc.nic.in/document/charter-patient-rights 5 Devika Biswas v. Union of India (2016) 10 SCC 726 https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ maternity-scheme-reaches-only-one-third-ofbeneficiaries/article30009783.ece 6