Whereas the health of every man, woman and child is the nation’s greatest asset and whereas conditions in this country are such that they have undermined the health of the people as can be seen from the appalling death rate and the figures for maternal and infant mortality, and whereas these conditions must be improved, the All-India Women’s Conference demand that:-
(a) A nation-wide plan of free health services, including medical, dental and hospital treatment and provision for free medical examination be adopted;
(b) A nation-wide plan of free pre-natal and infant welfare clinics, maternity hospitals and nursing services be adopted;
(c) All preventive measures such as medical inspection of school children, child welfare centres, sanitation, general hygiene, industrial hygiene, immunisation services be taken;
(d) More facilities for the training of men and women doctors as well as health visitors be provided;
(e) Steps be taken to popularise the profession of nursing in order to induce more women to join it and the conditions of service of the nurses and the probationers who are under training be improved by way of adequate housing, pay and allowances, regulating hours of work, facilities for recreation, holidays with pay and social insurance;
(f) The training in nursing be given through the medium of a recognized provincial language;
(g) The public be educated to recognize the early signs of disease such as tuberculosis, cancer, 1eprosy and venereal disease;
(h) Adequate facilities be provided for the segregation and free treatment of infectious diseases including leprosy and venereal disease;
(i) Governments or local bodies concerned should take steps for the provision of a clean water supply and drainage system as well as for the proper disposal of refuse in rural and urban areas;
( j) Overcrowding in houses be stopped by law;
(k) Government should take steps to improve the bad housing in urban as well as rural areas, such as:
(1) abolition of one-room tenements;
(2) fixing of a minimum standard for home in a town or village with regard to size, area and equipment and not to permit any building below this standard.;
(3) to include a separate kitchen, separate bath room and a separate lavatory among the minimum requirements of the home;
(4) homes with low rentals be built by Government or municipalities for persons with low income;
(5) to include a small garden for each cottage and a playground for children for a group of cottages; and
(6) Government or municipalities organize exhibitions, demonstrations and Cinema shows to educate the people, in particular women, to keep their homes and surroundings clean; and to beautify their homes and make them comfortable.