Context:
India’s adoption of the ‘One Earth One Health’ slogan reflects its commitment to enhancing health infrastructure. This approach emphasizes comprehensive health protection for all living beings, encompassing humans, animals, and plants. Additionally, the Indian government has prioritized making medical treatment more accessible.
Relevance:
GS2- Health
Mains Question:
The Government’s vision of ‘One Earth, One Health’ rooted in ancient Indian philosophy reflects India’s enduring commitment to universal health as showcased in its health oriented schemes. Comment. (15 Marks, 250 Words).
Ayushman Bharat Scheme:
About:
- The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is a flagship health protection initiative initiated by the Indian Government in 2018.
- Its objective is to provide comprehensive health coverage to economically disadvantaged sections of society, ensuring equitable access to high-quality healthcare services.
- This initiative has the potential to revolutionize the nation’s healthcare sector by alleviating poverty, increasing productivity, and fostering social equity.
Main Objectives of AB-PMJAY:
- Alleviate the financial burden of out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) on healthcare for beneficiaries.
- Enhance access and affordability of healthcare services for beneficiaries.
- Improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery systems in the country.
- Promote preventive, promotive, and curative health interventions for beneficiaries.
Key Features of AB-PMJAY:
Health Coverage:
The program offers health coverage of Rs 5 lakh annually per family for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization, benefiting over 12 crore families (bottom 40% of the population).
Medical Packages:
Encompassing 1,949 comprehensive packages, the scheme covers medical and surgical procedures for various health conditions, including cancer care, cardiac care, neurosurgery, orthopedics, burns management, and mental disorders.
Funding:
AB-PMJAY is a centrally sponsored scheme, with funding from both central and state governments, distributed at ratios of 60:40 for most states, 90:10 for northeastern and Himalayan states, and 100:0 for union territories without a legislature.
IT Platform:
Utilizing a robust IT platform, the scheme ensures seamless service delivery, prevents fraud, and includes features such as beneficiary identification, hospital empanelment, transaction management, claim management, and grievance redressal.
Hospital Network:
With a network of over 27,000 empanelled hospitals nationwide, more than half being private, the scheme encourages public-private partnerships for effective implementation.
Portability:
Interstate portability allows beneficiaries to avail services in any state with an AB-PMJAY program, aiding migrants, especially in emergencies.
Arogya Mitras:
Dedicated Pradhan Mantri Arogya Mitras (PMAMs) assist beneficiaries throughout their scheme journey, handling tasks such as verification, registration, pre-authorization, and claim submission.
Monitoring and Evaluation:
The scheme employs a monitoring and evaluation mechanism, ensuring transparency with a public dashboard for real-time tracking. Beneficiary details are published without compromising privacy, and faceless claim processing is implemented.
Anti-fraud Measures:
The National Anti-Fraud Unit (NAFU) and state-level Anti-Fraud Units use AI and ML technologies to detect potential frauds, conducting audits to maintain accountability. Over 210 hospitals have been de-empanelled for fraud or malpractice.
Call Center:
A call center verifies treatment quantity and quality within 48 hours of discharge and follows up after 15 days to assess prognosis for every beneficiary.
Evaluation:
- The ‘Ayushman Bharat’ and ‘Jan Aushadhi Yojana’ welfare health schemes alone have disbursed over Rs 1 lakh crore, benefiting predominantly low and middle-income patients.
- The implementation of Ayushman Bharat has not only spurred the demand for new hospitals but has also created opportunities for the establishment of additional hospitals and medical colleges.
- Moreover, it has catalyzed the development of a technologically driven, holistic health ecosystem.
- These revitalized healthcare efforts have significantly boosted the potential of the healthcare sector, projected to reach Rs 10 lakh crore in the future, provided there is effective collaboration between the private sector and medical academia.
- Taking proactive measures, India is now concentrating on not just treatment but also on overall wellness.
- Departing from a historical lack of an integrated, long-term health approach since independence, the current approach advocates a whole-of-government strategy, moving beyond the confines of the health ministry alone. This signals a forward-looking perspective.
- Addressing the concerns of the general populace, the government has prioritized affordable treatment, with over 10,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras offering cost-effective medicines to those in need.
- The PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission is not only facilitating the establishment of new hospitals but also fostering the creation of a comprehensive health ecosystem.
Way Forward:
- However, a potential improvement could have been achieved through better coordination with state governments, particularly in addressing the needs of primary health centers. Unfortunately, the present ministry appears to have overlooked this aspect.
- Establishing a link between testing facilities at smaller village health centers and district hospitals could enhance healthcare services at the grassroots level.
- The emphasis on incorporating technology into healthcare presents a significant opportunity for healthcare entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals.
- The allocation of Rs 89,155 crore in the Union Budget 2023-24 has provided a renewed boost to the sector. Notably, there is a distinct shift in focus between the pre- and post-Covid situations.
Revolution in the Medical Education Sector:
- A notable revolution has taken place in the medical education sector over the past decade. The opening of more than 260 new medical colleges has resulted in a twofold increase in medical seats for undergraduate and postgraduate courses compared to 2014.
- However, there is a necessity to reassess policy decisions regarding the establishment of medical colleges, and further efforts are required to streamline the processes for Indian medical students studying abroad.
- The latest budget has also placed significant emphasis on the nursing sector, with the establishment of 157 nursing colleges around medical colleges representing a crucial step in strengthening medical human resources.
- Technologies like 5G are creating novel opportunities for startups, while drones are revolutionizing drug delivery and testing services. The medical device sector has witnessed a growth of 12-14%, attributed to initiatives such as Bulk Drug Park and Medical Device Park, along with an investment exceeding Rs 30 thousand crore in Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes.
- In addition to this, introducing programs like biomedical engineering and fostering collaboration between industry, academia, and the government in IITs holds significant potential for the sector.
- However, rather than enhancing the infrastructure of primary health centers, there has been a focus on expanding patient care OPD in institutions such as AIIMS.
- Despite AIIMS being primarily recognized as a research institute, their historical contributions to the research sector are noteworthy.
Preventive Healthcare:
The government’s initiatives in preventive healthcare and awareness, such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan for cleanliness, Ujjwala Yojana addressing smoking-related diseases, Jal Jeevan Mission targeting waterborne diseases, National Nutrition Mission addressing anaemia and malnutrition, and an emphasis on grains through initiatives like Shri Anna, PM Matru Vandana Yojana, Mission Indradhanush, Yoga, Fit India Movement, and an increased focus on naturopathy and alternative medicine systems, including Ayurveda, have effectively prevented diseases.
Conclusion:
These government measures signify the commencement of a new era for the people and showcase India’s vision for health on the global stage. India’s vision of health was universal even in ancient times, long before global pandemics as per ancient scriptures. The Prime Minister highlighted that the concept of One Earth One Health aligns with these ancient beliefs and is a manifestation of the same idea in action, extending beyond humans to encompass a beautiful Earth for every living being, reflecting the Indian philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.
