India’s health disorder

News: India has witnessed substantial divergence between the numbers of Covid-related deaths reported by Indian official sources and numbers cited by the World Health Organization. Therefore, due to such deviations, there is a need to look into the status of India’s health care system.

Adequacy in health care in India

A number of studies have documented notable healthcare success in India. For example, the case of polio eradication.

Shortcomings in health care in India.

Healthcare Facilities

India has failed to create adequate public and private health facilities across the country.

The private health care services are non-affordable to less affluent sections of society. For example, it is difficult for a privately employed, earning around Rs 30,000 a month.

In publicly-owned medical facilities, hospitalization is a time taking process, except for emergencies that arise due to road or other accidents. For instance, the waiting period for a hysterectomy operation in a government hospital is usually eight to nine months.

In the Indian private hospitals, there is a lack of sufficiently professional diagnoses. In fact, experts’ advice is largely driven by profit-making. For example, where a blockage in one of the heart arteries has been found in routine diagnosis, the cardiologist generally advises angioplasty, including installing one or more stents in addition to statin and blood thinner medication. However, as per a 2020 study by the US National Institute of Health, “there is no need for invasive procedures (read stents) in patients without symptoms”. It is safe to begin treating the problem with medication and lifestyle change. If symptoms persist, then invasive treatment options can be discussed.

Health Insurances

The health insurance coverages provided in India are highly restrictive in nature. For instances,

(1) any pre-existing ailments would be covered only after a waiting period of three years,

(2) There is a two-year exclusion period for cataracts, hernia, hysterectomy, joint replacement, pregnancy, dental treatment, and external aids.

(3) Further, congenital diseases and non-allopathic treatment are not covered at all.

(4) Ayurvedic treatment, which is low-cost in nature, is found to be excluded.

It is surprising that the Indian insurance regulator allows so many exceptions under private health insurance.

Others problems

There are issues of inadequate numbers of doctors-nurses in government hospitals.

Source: The post is based on the article “India’s health disorder” published in the Business Standard on 29^th June 2022.