How health care expenses hurt India: Medical bills make 6 crore people poor every year
Will the world’s largest healthcare initiative improve access of the poor and needy to quality medical care in India?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had lately rolled out world’s largest healthcare initiative which would serve 10.7 crore families belonging to poor and vulnerable populations. While India and its government are bracing to deal with high out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, a stark reality of Indian healthcare sector hits us.
Indu Bhushan, CEO of the Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana Indu Bhushan in a health conference, organised by the Goa Institute of Management, shared some staggering figures that highlight how the average Indian is affected by health expenditure every year.
According to data provided by the Ayushman Bharat, around six crore people every year, or 7,000 people per hour, slip into poverty in India due to healthcare expenses.
The Ayushman Bharat-PM JAY programme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 23 is touted as the world's largest government-funded healthcare programme aimed at benefiting 50 crore people.
Bhushan hailed the country's efforts in reducing poverty, but said, "At the same time, we see that about six crores fall into poverty every year because of catastrophic healthcare expenses. I was astounded by the number. Six crore people mean 7,000 people every hour."
Six crore fall into poverty every year or 7,000 people every day because of healthcare expenses.
Photo Credits: Reuters
India's healthcare sector has had several issues ranging from doctor to patient ratio, and bed to patient ratio that just add to the complications of healthcare in the country
Photo Credits: Reuters
India's budgetary provision for health had remained stagnant at 1-1.4% for the past few years.
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70% of public healthcare in India is supported by the private sector and only 30% by the public sector, according to data provided by Ayushman Bharat yojna.
Photo Credits: DNA
Despite India emerging as fastest growing (major) economy in the world and a major hub for sourcing of pharmaceuticals, people are slipping into poverty due to health expenses.
Photo Credits: Reuters
While large sections of its own citizens didn't have access to good health facilities, people from abroad were flying to India to get quality medical treatment at cheap rates.
Photo Credits: DNA
"It is like a leaking bucket. Though a lot of effort is being put to bring people out of poverty, due to health expenses, people are slipping into poverty which is puzzling."
Photo Credits: PTI
PM Modi had lately rolled out the world’s largest healthcare initiative to deal with high out-of-pocket healthcare expenses in India.
Photo Credits: PTI
Ayushman Bharat-PM JAY programme will serve 10.7 crore families belonging to poor and vulnerable populations in India.
Photo Credits: Reuters