PM healthcare scheme from Sept. 25

PM healthcare scheme from Sept. 25

News:

1. On the occasion of 72nd Independence Day celebration, PM Modi announced ambitious schemes.

Important facts:

2. PM Modi  during his Independence day speech highlighted  the achievements of his government.

3) Related to health sector:

Mantri Jan Aarogya Abhiyan (PMJAA)

• PM announced Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Abhiyan (PMJAA) was announced.
• The scheme is also known as Ayushman Bharat or the National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM).
• The scheme will be launched on September 25.
• This is government-sponsored health insurance scheme.
• The scheme aims to provide free coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family annually, benefiting more than 10 crore poor families.
• It meant to help the poor and the economically deprived.
• The scheme is expected to raise the ratio of people availing primary and secondary healthcare.
• The scheme has potential of creating a cost-effective digitalized health economy.
• Presently, around 80% of the healthcare in India is provided by the private healthcare system.
• The beneficiaries under the scheme are chosen through the Socio-Economic Caste Census, mainly rural poor and identified urban workers.

Loopholes in the scheme:

• The current framework of the scheme will not be beneficial for people who need tertiary care as the remunerations under the scheme will not be sufficient to avail value-based healthcare.
• Under the scheme, the territory healthcare service providers will be forced to cut cost at every level.
• They will not be able to avail the necessary medication, technology and clinical expertise to get the best outcome and will soon lose confidence in the system.
• Majority of the families will be rural, and the secondary and tertiary public hospital infrastructure suffers from severe efficiency and accountability problems, State governments should upgrade the administrative systems.

Suggestions:

• Reaching a consensus on treatment costs through a transparent consultative process is vital for a smooth and steady rollout.
•  A large-scale Information Technology network for cashless treatment should be set up and validated.
• Reducing the cost of universal health coverage is imperative, and it requires parallel investments in the neglected public sector.
• An ombudsman to deal with complaints from NHPM users should, therefore, be a priority.
• The Centre should extend the scheme to all children and senior citizens, and cover out-patient consultation and essential drugs to sharply reduce out-of-pocket spending.

• Women related initiatives:

• PM lauded fast-track courts dealing with rape cases handing out the death penalties in several cases.
• Permanent Commission for women officers:

• Permanent commission for women officers on short service commission in the uniformed services and plans for a manned space mission.
• The women officers in the military would get permanent commission on a par with their male counterparts.
• Permanent commission exists for women in select areas in the military.
• Women officers who have been selected through the short service commission in defence forces will get the opportunity for a permanent commission.
• Till now, women officers are recruited mostly on short service commission for 14 years and permanent commission is allowed in select streams, which means they are not eligible to pet pension.
• Permanent commission is currently limited to education, legal branches apart from medical and dental services.
• These two streams were opened for permanent commission in all three services in 2011.
• On Triple Talaq Bill:
• The Bill banning the practice of triple talaq among Muslims was passed.
• Apart from above Bill, he also refereed the passage of the SC/ST and OBC Bill.