दीर्घायुषी भव
An Alternative way forward for healthcare
दीर्घायुषी भव - Meaning may you live a long and healthy life, is often said as a blessing in India. However, in today's world, your health is not completely in your own hands. The state is very much involved.
The targeted beneficiaries of the scheme are approximately 10.74 crores. The scheme entails a benefit of Rs 5 lakh per family per year.
Sample Social Security card in USA
Considering the fact that each and every one of us contributes to environmental degradation (I just cant bear the heat for a bit you know! Please turn on the air conditioner!), we should take the responsibility for the worsening health situation due to environmental impact in the country. The Aadhar number can act as a social security number, which would store the medical details of all citizens, a governmental app would then send reminders to the person to conduct the respective check ups and various points in time. This would lead to preventive health care. The same can also be used to disseminate information about good health practives, importance of exercise, good dietary information etc.
दीर्घायुषी भव - Meaning may you live a long and healthy life, is often said as a blessing in India. However, in today's world, your health is not completely in your own hands. The state is very much involved.
Healthcare is one of the most important factors in the overall development of the nation. It leads to increase in productivity, well being and happiness among the population of the country.
India has made noteworthy and significant improvements in healthcare over the years. Successive governments have increased emphasis on the development of preventive as well as curative health care. Life expectancy at birth has risen, crude death rates have drastically reduced and the country has eliminated small pox, polio and is on the verge of destroying the curse of leprosy.
This has been a significant achievement considering that India houses approximately 17% of the global population. Literacy rates are speeding ahead, there is universal enrollment in schools (albeit with a larger dropout rate) leading to better awareness about vaccinations, preventive health care and insurance coverage.
Considering the scale of the indian population, such declines are very positive within a short period of less than 20 years.
The total fertility rate - that is the number of children born to a woman within her lifetime has already fallen below 2 in 12 states and 9 states have reached the replacement level. (When the parents have two children, one to replace each parent, thus keeping the population at a constant level).
The literacy rate has shown an increase of 8.2%. Overall literacy rate
of India is 73.0% whereas for males it is 80.9% and for females it is 64.6%. Rural literacy rate is 67.8% and urban literacy rate is 84.1%. The deeply saddening question often asked to girls "Itna padh ke kya karegi?"(What will you do by studying so much), is slowly becoming extinct.
Considering this backdrop, the prime minister launched the "Ayushman Bharat" - National Health protection mission.
In a nutshell - the scheme will provide a defined benefit cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year. One of the most important aspects of this scheme is that the cashless benefit can be availed of across the country, in select public/private hospitals.
The entire procedure would be cashless and the funds would reach directly to the hospital from the state implementing agency (SHA) through an escrow account.
This scheme is expected to increase insurance penetration to 40% of the population, especially the poor and deprived populace of approximately 10 crore people.
It is the largest insurance scheme of its kind ever experienced globally. Implementing the same would be a drastic challenge. Also, it would involve a huge expense.
However, is there more to it than meets the eye?
Assuming a family of 4, the number of families expected to benefit would be 2.685 crore. If each family utilizes the entire portion available to it, the amount of funds required would be Rs 13.42 lakh crore approximately.
This entire expenditure would generate virtually no additional employment and puts an additional burden on the existing system of hospitals which is already creaking with the extra pressure by the existing in-patient deliveries.
Further, this system only looks at cure and in no way increases prevention, which is painful.
Already existing shortage of doctors, hospital beds and nurses in India, believed to come under more pressure due to the scheme (Way below global average and competing countries)
Already existing shortage of doctors, hospital beds and nurses in India, believed to come under more pressure due to the scheme (Way below global average and competing countries)
Alternative Mechanism
Another way of spending this surplus would be strengthening the public hospital system, reducing the mushrooming of private hospitals which have the corporate " for profit" intention. This has to be done on an urgent basis. The ayushman bharat is a quick fix, and should supplement the public healthcare system, and not replace it.
Thailand is a leading destination for medical tourism because of low costs coupled with cutting edge medical care facilities which have been developed by the government through targeted execution of welfare schemes, upgrading the public hospital system and creating a universal access for healthcare.
The model includes a separate deduction from the salaries of government servants as a contribution to a universal pool of funds, a similar deduction from private sector salaries, which is used for the delivery of medical care, upgradation of existing facilities and preventive health care checkups.
Sample Social Security card in USA
With the almost universal penetration of aadhar, the government of India should launch a similar system wherein, each government and private employee will have to contribute towards social healthcare, similar to provident funds. A similar contribution will be made by the employer. This will generate a large pool of funds which can then be utilized for the proper upgradation and delivery of health care systems. Currently, we do not have any such contributions, with the government expected to foot the huge health care bill.
Considering the fact that each and every one of us contributes to environmental degradation (I just cant bear the heat for a bit you know! Please turn on the air conditioner!), we should take the responsibility for the worsening health situation due to environmental impact in the country. The Aadhar number can act as a social security number, which would store the medical details of all citizens, a governmental app would then send reminders to the person to conduct the respective check ups and various points in time. This would lead to preventive health care. The same can also be used to disseminate information about good health practives, importance of exercise, good dietary information etc.
However, for all this to happen, the government must reduce its focus on insurance and instead focus on strengthening the root of the healthcare system.
We have gangrene, a band aid wont work!
गौतम पाटणकर
All image sources: images.google.com
All factual data taken from https://www.who.int/countries/ind/en/
Citations:
All image sources: images.google.com
All factual data taken from https://www.who.int/countries/ind/en/
Citations:
Very Insightful!
ReplyDeleteits good post about the health thanks for sharing SBI share price
ReplyDelete