Can Ayushman Bharat make for a healthier India?

Can Ayushman Bharat make for a healthier India?

 Context

Building a robust primary health-care system will save lives and lead to a healthier India

Unmet Primary healthcare needs

There is a huge unmet need for primary health care, namely, care for non-communicable diseases (specifically, prevention and early detection and treatment of hypertension, diabetes, chronic obstructive lung disease, and common cancers), mental health, care of the aged, adolescent health, palliative health care, basic eye care and dental health

Importance of Primary health care

• If we build a strong, robust next generation primary health-care system, it will save lives and will lead to a healthier India

For e.g. Detecting and treating diabetes from the age of 35 years by a screening test would avert kidney failure at 50 years in case the condition remains undetected and untreated

 Accessible HWCs

• The government has committed for two-thirds of resources to go into a comprehensive primary health care as part of the National Health Policy 2017
• The HWCs are somewhat on the lines of the U.K. general practices health system, but run largely by nurse practitioners and trained health workers, which are accessible near home
• HWCs will help unleash a people’s movement for a healthy India

Providing insurance: National Health Protection Scheme

The second dimension of Ayushman Bharat is the National Health Protection Scheme which aims to provide health cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year for hospitalization in secondary and tertiary care facilities

Access to facility care for almost all the medical and surgical conditions

Given the ambitious size of the package, 40% of people, neonates to young and old, will have access to facility care for almost all the medical and surgical conditions that could occur in a lifetime

Two thirds population covered

Many State governments would extend the benefits to additional beneficiaries through their own resources so that ultimately the population covered for catastrophic expenses could be two-thirds of India’s population, if not more.

Access for poor people and lower middle class

• This mission enables increased access to in-patient health care for the poor and lower middle class.
• The scheme would enable a weaver in a remote village to be able to walk into a hospital for a gall bladder stone surgery or a coronary stent without having to pay the hospital
• Treatment will be provided by empanelled public and private hospitals
• Private hospitals will have to agree to terms such as package rates, adherence to standards and guidelines, ethical practice, respectful care and client satisfaction, and transparency.

Conclusion

Ayushman Bharat will spur increased investment in health and generate lakhs of jobs, especially for women, and will be a driver of development and growth. It is a turning point for the health sector.