On International Diabetes Day (November 14), the Lancet shared a global study showing over 800 million adults have diabetes, and more than half aren’t receiving proper treatment.
What is the controversy over the numbers and the difference in Testing Methodology?
The Lancet study reported that diabetes was significantly higher in number than the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) estimates (just over 100 million). This stark contrast raises questions about the accuracy and methodology used in both studies.
The primary reason for the discrepancy lies in the methodologies used to measure blood sugar levels:
The Lancet study utilized various methods including fasting glucose and HbA1C (a three-month glycated hemoglobin average) from data across 200 countries.
The ICMR study relied on fasting and two-hour post-prandial blood sugar tests using an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT), which is considered the gold standard in India.
Experts argue that using HbA1C can lead to inflated numbers due to its sensitivity to factors like age and anemia.
For instance, a person without diabetes might still show elevated HbA1C levels based on their physiological characteristics, which can skew prevalence estimates.
What are the issues raised in the Lancet study?
Global Inequalities in Treatment: The study highlighted significant disparities in diabetes treatment access, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where treatment rates are stagnating despite rising diabetes cases. This raises concerns about long-term health complications for untreated individuals.
Rising Rates of Diabetes: The findings underscore that diabetes rates have increased dramatically, especially Type 2 diabetes, which poses a growing public health challenge. This trend is alarming given that many affected individuals are younger and at risk for severe complications.
Complications and Healthcare Burden: With a large number of individuals requiring treatment, there is a looming healthcare crisis regarding complications such as kidney failure, heart disease, and vision loss, which could overwhelm healthcare systems.
What steps need to be taken? (Way forward)
Enhanced Awareness and Education: There is a pressing need for widespread education on diabetes prevention through nutrition and physical activity. Public health campaigns should focus on promoting healthy lifestyles to mitigate risk factors associated with diabetes.
Policy Changes: Governments must implement policies that restrict unhealthy food options while making healthy foods more affordable. This includes subsidies for nutritious foods and initiatives to create safe spaces for physical activity.
Targeted Interventions for Vulnerable Populations: Special attention should be directed towards vulnerable groups, particularly women who may be at higher risk post-pregnancy or during menopause. Tailored interventions can help address specific risk factors prevalent in these populations.
Investment in Healthcare Infrastructure: To effectively manage the rising burden of diabetes, there must be significant investment in healthcare infrastructure, especially in low- and middle-income countries where resources are limited.
Long-Term Strategic Planning: A comprehensive long-term strategy is essential to combat the growing diabetes epidemic, requiring collaboration between governments, healthcare providers, and communities to ensure sustainable health outcomes.
Mains PYQ:
Q Appropriate local community-level healthcare intervention is a prerequisite to achieve ‘Health for All’ in India. Explain. (UPSC IAS/2018)
Within just three weeks of its launch, over 10 lakh senior citizens have enrolled for the Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana.
Note: Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PM-VVY) is a pension scheme and insurance policy for senior citizens in India. One must not get confused with Ayushman-VVY.
AboutAyushman Vay Vandana Yojana:
Details
Features and Provisions
• Cashless health coverage up to ₹5 lakh per year for senior citizens aged 70and above. • Beneficiaries receive an Ayushman Vay Vandana Card, which grants them access to free treatment in empaneled hospitals across India.
• Coverage includes medical consultations, treatments, pre- and post-hospitalization expenses, and complex procedures such as angioplasty.
Structural Mandate
• Administered under the PM-JAY framework, ensuring structured implementation and integration with India’s health insurance network.
• Implemented across empaneled hospitals in both urban and rural areas, ensuring nationwide reach.
• Centralized digital system tracks treatments, patient details, and expenses for transparency and accountability.
• Specifically designed for senior citizens, addressing their unique healthcare needs.
Aims and Objectives
• Universal healthcare for senior citizens, ensuring access to essential medical treatments without financial strain.
• Seeks to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for elderly citizens and their families.
• Encourages preventive care and early medical intervention to address age-related health conditions.
Eligibility Criteria
• Open to all Indian citizens aged 70 and above.
• There are NO income/ family size restrictions, making it accessible to all senior citizens, regardless of their economic status.
• Beneficiaries must be Indian citizens.
• Seniors need to register under PM-JAY to receive the AVV Card and avail of the benefits.
Q) Public health system has limitations in providing universal health coverage. Do you think that private sector can help in bridging the gap? What other viable alternatives do you suggest? (UPSC CSE 2015)
Q) The increase in life expectancy in the country has led to newer health challenges in the community. What are those challenges and what steps need to be taken to meet them? (UPSC CSE 2022)
India’s Public Health System needs to focus on preventing and controlling non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and cancer. These diseases affect people of all income levels, but the poor and old aged population is the most vulnerable.
In this scenario, Health Longevity is an evidence-based approach to help countries define prioritized, costed interventions and policy changes to save and extend people’s lives. According to World Bank, investing in healthy longevity could save 150 million lives in low- and middle- income countries.
Today’s editorial emphasizes the issues related to the health sector in India especially with respect to Non-communicable diseases.
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Let’s learn!
Why in the News?
The World Bank publishes an important and forward-thinking report on a key issue affecting people’s well-being. The report is Unlocking the Power of Healthy Longevity: Demographic Change, Non-communicable Diseases, and Human Capital, released in Washington D.C. in September 2024.
Key Findings of the Report:
● Aging and NCD Burden: Global aging is accelerating, with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) causing over 70% of deaths, especially in low- and middle-income countries. ● Potential Life Savings: Investing in healthy longevity could save 150 million lives and significantly improve productivity and economic growth by 2050. ● Life-Course Health Investments: Addressing health from maternal to elderly care, with a focus on NCD prevention, is essential for promoting healthier aging populations. ● Gender and Social Equity: Women, who often bear caregiving responsibilities and live longer with NCDs, require targeted health and social protections to ensure equity in aging.
Issues related to the Elderly Population in India:
Size of Elderly Population: India has the second-largest elderly population in the world, with approximately 140 million people aged 60 years and above.
Growth Rate: The elderly population is growing at a rate nearly three times higher than India’s overall population growth, indicating a significant demographic shift.
Aging Population Challenge: This rapidly aging population places considerable pressure on health services, social systems, and the economy.
What are the Disease Concerns in India?
Rise in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): India is witnessing an increasing burden of NCDs, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases, which are now the leading causes of death.
Health Risks for the Elderly: As the elderly population grows, the prevalence of age-related diseases and NCDs is expected to surge, straining healthcare systems.
Impact on Public Health: The health challenges are compounded by the underdeveloped infrastructure for treating chronic diseases, particularly in rural areas.
Issues related to Hospital Expenses in India:
Rising Healthcare Costs: Medical expenses for elderly care, especially for chronic diseases and long-term care, are escalating. Private hospitals often charge exorbitantly, making healthcare unaffordable for many elderly individuals.
Inaccessibility of Healthcare: The elderly often face challenges in accessing healthcare facilities due to geographic and economic barriers, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Catastrophic Health Expenditure: Many elderly people, particularly in lower-income segments, face catastrophic health expenses that can push them into poverty. Even with government schemes, the out-of-pocket expenses remain high.
Steps taken by the Indian Government:
● National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE): This program aims to provide comprehensive healthcare services specifically tailored for older adults. ● National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP): Aimed at providing financial assistance to the elderly who are below the poverty line. ● Maintenance and Welfare of Senior Citizens Act, 2007: This act mandates maintenance and welfare provisions for senior citizens. ● Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY): A scheme focused on promoting the welfare of senior citizens through various support services. ● Elderline: A national helpline established to assist elderly individuals in accessing information and services related to their needs
Efficacy of Social Security Schemes:
Limited Coverage: India’s social security schemes, including pensions and health insurance, often do not adequately cover the elderly, especially those in lower income brackets or rural areas.
For example: Public health schemes like Ayushman Bharat aim to provide health insurance to underprivileged populations, but the coverage and access remain limited for the elderly.
Vulnerable Groups: The elderly in India, particularly those without formal employment or savings, remain highly vulnerable to financial distress from healthcare expenses and lack sufficient social security support.
Way forward:
Enhance and Expand Social Security Coverage: Strengthen existing social security schemes like Ayushman Bharat to ensure comprehensive health insurance and pension coverage for elderly populations, particularly in rural and low-income areas. This can help alleviate financial strain from healthcare costs.
Invest in Geriatric Healthcare Infrastructure: Improve healthcare facilities and services for the elderly, focusing on chronic disease management and accessible healthcare, especially in rural areas. This includes training healthcare workers in geriatric care and increasing the availability of affordable long-term care options.
Min. of Health and Family Welfare issued draft Guidelines for the withdrawal of life support in terminally ill Patients, aimed at implementing the Supreme Court’s 2018 and 2023 rulings that uphold the right to die with dignity for all Indians.
What is Passive euthanasia?
Passive euthanasia involves allowing a terminally ill patient to die naturally by withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments, like ventilators when they no longer provide benefits.
What are the draft guidelines released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare?
The guidelines aim to operationalize the Supreme Court’s 2018 and 2023 orders, which recognize the right to die with dignity as part of Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.
Key Mechanisms Proposed:
Primary and Secondary Medical Boards: Hospitals are required to set up these boards to determine when further medical treatment for a terminally ill patient would no longer be beneficial.
Nomination of Doctors: District Chief Medical Officers will nominate doctors to serve on Secondary Medical Boards to confirm or reject the Primary Medical Board’s recommendations.
While India does not have dedicated legislation on withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, these guidelines and the Supreme Court’s judgments provide a defined legal framework to make these actions lawful.
What is meant by withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatment?
It refers to discontinuing medical interventions, such as ventilators or feeding tubes, when they no longer contribute to the patient’s recovery or only prolong suffering.
The intention is to allow the underlying illness to take its natural course while providing comfort care, focusing on symptomatic relief and palliative care.
The right to refuse medical treatment is recognized under common law and is considered part of India’s fundamental right to life and personal liberty (Article 21).
Is Withholding/Withdrawing treatment akin to giving up on the patient?
Withholding or withdrawing treatment does not mean the doctor is giving up on the patient. It is an acknowledgment that continued medical intervention may no longer be beneficial and could cause unnecessary suffering.
The process involves shifting the focus from life-sustaining measures to palliative care to manage pain and ensure the patient’s comfort.
Often, doctors practice “discharge against medical advice” because of misconceptions about the legality of withholding/withdrawing treatment. This practice leads to patients suffering without appropriate care.
What medical procedure is laid down by the SC and reaffirmed by the guidelines?
Primary Medical Board assessment: A hospital-level board, including the treating doctor and two experienced experts, evaluates the patient’s condition to recommend withholding/withdrawing treatment.
Secondary Medical Board review: A different board, nominated by the district Chief Medical Officer, reviews the Primary Board’s decision for an additional level of checks.
Consent and Judicial notification: Consent from the patient’s surrogate decision-makers or advance directive nominees is required, and the decision must be notified to the local judicial magistrate.
Way forward:
Public Awareness and Training: Educate the public and healthcare professionals about the legal framework for end-of-life care, emphasizing the distinction between withholding treatment and euthanasia, to reduce misconceptions.
Strengthen Palliative Care Services: Expand access to palliative care across hospitals and healthcare facilities, ensuring that terminally ill patients receive compassionate and effective pain management and comfort care.
October 24 is recognized as World Polio Day, a commemoration established by Rotary International to honor the birth of Jonas Salk, who spearheaded the development of the first vaccine against polio in the 1950s.
What key strategies contributed to the successful eradication of polio in India?
Comprehensive Vaccination Campaigns: India implemented large-scale vaccination drives starting in 1972, which expanded under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) in 1985.
Community Engagement and Awareness: Targeted awareness campaigns were crucial, utilizing local health workers to administer oral polio drops, which made vaccination accessible.
Effective Messaging: The slogan “do boond zindagi ki” (two drops of life) resonated well with the public. Utilizing celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and integrating health messages into popular media further amplified awareness.
Robust Surveillance System: A multilayered surveillance mechanism was developed to monitor acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases, enabling prompt immunisation of affected populations. This system involved local informers, including community health workers and doctors.
Targeted Interventions for High-Risk Areas: By 2009, efforts were concentrated in specific regions, particularly in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where most cases were reported. This targeted approach was critical in reducing transmission rates.
Collaboration with International Agencies: The eradication campaign was supported by various international bodies such as WHO, UNICEF, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, ensuring financial and logistical backing.
How did India address the challenges of vaccine hesitancy among specific communities?
Engagement with Community Leaders: To address religious concerns and misinformation, influential figures such as imams and local leaders were involved. Their endorsements played a significant role in countering myths about the vaccine.
Targeted Communication Strategies: Awareness efforts were tailored to specific communities, focusing on dispelling myths surrounding the vaccine, such as fears about impotence and cultural taboos against its ingredients.
Culturally Sensitive Messaging: Messaging was crafted in local languages and through community-specific narratives, ensuring that it resonated with the cultural context of various groups.
What lessons can be learned from India’s polio eradication efforts for future public health campaigns?
Importance of Community Involvement: Engaging local leaders and community members is vital for building trust and addressing vaccine hesitancy effectively.
Flexibility in Implementation: Tailoring vaccination drives to accommodate local cultural practices, work schedules, and geographic challenges can enhance participation rates.
Sustained Awareness Efforts: Continuous education and awareness campaigns are essential, especially in the face of evolving misinformation and cultural resistance.
Data-Driven Decision Making: The use of robust surveillance systems and data analytics to identify and target high-risk areas can help streamline public health interventions.
Collaboration with Multiple Stakeholders: Building partnerships between government agencies, international organizations, and local communities can strengthen public health responses and resource mobilization.
Conclusion: Need to establish sustainable platforms for continuous dialogue between healthcare providers and community leaders to address health concerns, build trust, and ensure community-specific health initiatives are effectively communicated and implemented.
After decades of steady increases in human life expectancy due to advancements in medicine and technology, recent trends suggest that these gains are starting to slow down, according to a new study.
The Key Findings of the Study:
Slowing of Life Expectancy Gains: After decades of rising life expectancy due to medical and technological advancements, the pace of these increases has slowed significantly. The study suggests that human life expectancy has nearly plateaued, with dramatic extensions unlikely without breakthroughs in anti-aging medicine.
Regional Analysis: The study analyzed life expectancy data between 1990 and 2019 from regions with the longest life spans, such as Australia, Japan, and Sweden.
Even in these regions, life expectancy increased by only 6.5 years on average over the 29-year period.
Challenges of Radical Life Extension: Researchers found that while people live longer due to improvements in healthcare, the human body’s aging process—marked by the declining function of internal organs—limits life span. Even if diseases like cancer and heart disease are eliminated, aging itself remains a barrier.
Low Probability of Reaching 100: The study estimates that girls born in the longest-living regions have only a 5.3% chance of reaching 100 years, while boys have a 1.8% chance. Thus, despite medical advancements, reaching 100 years remains rare without interventions to slow aging.
Aging as the Primary Barrier: Researchers argue that extending average life expectancy dramatically will require breakthroughs that slow the aging process rather than just better treatments for common diseases.
Some experimental drugs, like metformin, have shown potential in animal studies, but human trials are needed.
India’s Present Status:
Lower Life Expectancy: As of 2024, India’s average life expectancy is around 70 years, In contrast, countries like Japan and Switzerland boast life expectancies exceeding 83 years.
Healthcare Advancements: While India has made significant progress in combating infectious diseases and improving maternal and child health, chronic illnesses and lifestyle diseases (such as heart disease and diabetes) are emerging as leading causes of death.
What Needs to Be Done: (Way forward)
Focus on Anti-Aging Research: India must invest in research on aging and regenerative medicine, exploring ways to slow down the aging process rather than just treating diseases.
Strengthening Healthcare Systems: Expanding access to quality healthcare and preventive medicine to manage age-related diseases can enhance the quality of life in later years, even if life expectancy does not rise dramatically.
Policy Support for Longevity Research: There is a need for policies supporting medical research into life-extension technologies, including drug trials and clinical studies focused on aging.
Public Health Interventions: Improved public health measures targeting lifestyle diseases (obesity, diabetes) and better management of age-related conditions can enhance life span and overall well-being.
Mains PYQ:
Q The increase in life expectancy in the country has led to newer health challenges in the community. What are those challenges and what steps need to be taken to meet them? (UPSC IAS/2022)
Q). Besides being a moral imperative of a Welfare State, primary health structure is a necessary precondition for sustainable development.” Analyse. (UPSC CSE 2021)
Q) The public health system has limitations in providing universal health coverage. Do you think that the private sector can help in bridging the gap? What other viable alternatives do you suggest? (UPSC CSE 2015)
Mentor’s Comment: In July, a 26-year-old executive from a multinational consulting firm ended her life due to immense work pressures, shedding light on a critical issue affecting millions of working Indians. In September, a 38-year-old software engineer in Chennai also took his life, battling depression caused by work-related stress.
Despite outwardly successful careers, these tragic losses highlight India’s growing mental health crisis, where success is often tied to relentless productivity and material wealth. With over 197 million people suffering from mental health disorders, according to the Lancet Psychiatry Commission, India’s economic growth has increased societal pressures, neglecting mental well-being and fostering disconnection from community and self-awareness. In today’s editorial, we will dive more into the causes and impacts of Mental Health in Indian Society.
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Let’s learn!
Why in the News?
This year’s theme for World Mental Health Day (October 10) focuses on ‘prioritizing mental health in the workplace. India faces a mental health crisis driven by urban stress, financial instability, and intense competition.
Key points related to Mental Health issues as per WHO:
• According to WHO, India has a significant burden of mental health issues with 2443 Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) per 100,000 population. • India’s age-adjusted suicide rate is 21.1 per 100,000, among the highest globally. • The economic loss due to mental health conditions between 2012-2030 is estimated to be USD 1.03 trillion.
What are the reasons behind the rising stress and anxiety?
Mental Health Epidemic: India is facing a growing mental health crisis, with millions suffering from disorders like depression, anxiety, and stress.
Pressures of Urban Living: Urban life, financial instability, and intense competition contribute significantly to rising stress.
Material Success vs. Well-being: Despite material success, many people feel isolated and disconnected from their communities, leading to a sense of purposelessness.
Consumerism and Social Comparison: In urban areas, consumerism fosters a culture where wealth and luxury goods define status, causing feelings of inadequacy and stress.
Fear of Insignificance: As per Ernest Becker’s theory, much of human behavior is driven by the fear of impermanence. People chase material wealth for social validation, but this pursuit neglects self-awareness and deeper emotional needs.
Mental Health Policy and Legal Frameworks by Govt:
• National Mental Health Policy, 2014: Promotes a rights-based and participatory approach for quality service delivery. • Mental Healthcare Act, 2017: Provides a legal framework that aligns with the UNCRPD (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), focusing on protecting the rights of individuals with mental illness, decriminalizing suicide, and ensuring access to mental health services.
Collective Action, Community as Solutions:
Shifting focus to Collective Well-being: The emphasis needs to move from individual success to collective well-being. Strong social connections, supportive communities, and meaningful work are critical to mental health.
Examples from other Countries: Initiatives like Brazil’s community gardens promote shared responsibilities, fostering a sense of belonging and combating isolation.
Value of Community Living: Community living provides a sustainable alternative to individualistic consumerism by promoting shared responsibility and collective purpose, strengthening social support networks, reducing competition, and offering a sense of purpose.
Way forward:
Strengthen Community-Based Mental Health Programs: Focus on building strong social connections and support systems through community-based initiatives, promoting collective well-being over individual competition, and addressing isolation.
Enhance Accessibility to Affordable Mental Health Services: Expand access to cost-effective, quality mental health care at the primary health care level, ensuring services are available to all, especially in underserved areas.
On October 9, 2024, the Union Cabinet approved extending the free fortified rice supply under welfare programs until December 2028.
Why Rice Fortification is needed?
Widespread Micronutrient Deficiency: India faces a significant public health challenge with micronutrient deficiencies, particularly iron, Vitamin B12, and folic acid. Anaemia, caused by iron deficiency, is a persistent issue affecting large segments of the population, including children, women, and men.
Rice as a Staple Food: Given that 65% of India’s population consumes rice as a staple, it is an ideal vehicle to deliver essential micronutrients to combat these deficiencies, helping improve overall health, productivity, and cognitive development.
Process of Rice Fortification:
Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK): The process involves producing fortified rice kernels that are enriched with essential micronutrients such as Iron, Folic Acid, and Vitamin B12.
Blending with Regular Rice: These fortified kernels are then blended with regular rice at a ratio prescribed by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India).
Typically, fortified kernels make up 1-2% of the total rice, ensuring consistent delivery of micronutrients without altering the taste or cooking properties of the rice.
How the Fortification Initiative has fared so far?
The rice fortification scheme was implemented in three phases between 2022 and March 2024, with the target of achieving universal coverage in all government schemes by March 2024 successfully met.
Fortified rice is now supplied under major welfare programs like the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS), and PM POSHAN in all states and Union Territories.
The initiative is fully funded by the central government, highlighting its commitment to tackling malnutrition and ensuring inclusive nutritional security across the country.
How can food fortification help reduce malnutrition in India?
Combats Micronutrient Deficiencies: Fortifying staple foods with essential nutrients like iron and vitamins helps reduce widespread deficiencies that cause anemia and poor health.
Wide Reach: Through existing public programs (PDS, ICDS), fortified food reaches vulnerable populations, ensuring consistent nutrient intake for large segments of society.
Cost-Effective: It offers a scalable, affordable solution to malnutrition, improving health outcomes without significant changes in diets or eating habits.
Way forward:
Strengthen Monitoring and Quality Control: Implement robust monitoring mechanisms to ensure the consistent quality of fortified rice and its proper distribution across welfare programs to maximize nutritional benefits.
Raise Awareness and Promote Consumption: Conduct awareness campaigns to educate the public on the health benefits of fortified rice, ensuring higher acceptance and consistent consumption to address widespread micronutrient deficiencies.
Four years after the onset of Covid, an expert group formed by NITI Aayog has proposed the establishment of a comprehensive framework to handle future public health emergencies or pandemics effectively.
Lessons Learned from COVID-19:
Gaps in Legal Frameworks: Existing laws like the Epidemic Diseases Act (1897) and National Disaster Management Act (2005) were insufficient for handling large-scale health emergencies. These laws lack clarity on definitions of epidemics and provisions for managing public health crises, drug distribution, and quarantine measures.
Delayed Response and Coordination: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed weaknesses in coordination between central and state governments, highlighting the need for a more organized response mechanism.
Inadequate Surveillance: Insufficient disease surveillance and early warning systems delayed the identification of threats. The role of zoonotic diseases, especially viruses linked to bat species, underscored the need for better monitoring of human-animal interactions.
What specific recommendations does the NITI Aayog report make?
Enactment of PHEMA: Introduce the Public Health Emergency Management Act for a more robust legal framework to manage pandemics and other health emergencies.
Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS): Establish a central committee to oversee pandemic preparedness, governance, R&D, surveillance, and response efforts.
Strengthened Disease Surveillance: Create a national biosecurity and biosafety network and monitor human-animal interfaces, especially for zoonotic diseases.
Emergency Vaccine Bank: Develop a stockpile of vaccines for rapid access during health crises, sourced domestically or internationally.
Early Warning and Research Network: Build a forecasting and modelling network, along with Centres of Excellence (CoEs) to advance research on priority pathogens and preparedness.
How can India enhance its pandemic preparedness framework? (Way forward)
Strengthening Legal and Institutional Frameworks: Enact a Public Health Emergency Management Act (PHEMA) and establish an Empowered Group of Secretaries for coordinated pandemic response.
Enhancing Surveillance and Early Warning Systems: Build a robust disease surveillance network, biosecurity system, and epidemiology forecasting for early detection and response to outbreaks.
Investing in Health Infrastructure and Vaccine Stockpiles: Develop public health cadres, boost healthcare infrastructure, and create an emergency vaccine bank for rapid deployment during health crises.
The “Arogya Sanjeevani Policy” serves as a reference point for choosing health insurance for hospitalisation.
AboutArogya Sanjeevani Policy:
Details
Launch Date
April 2020
Issued by
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI)
Objective
To provide basic and affordable health insurance coverage to all citizens
Sum Insured
₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh per policy year
Coverage
Hospitalization, pre and post-hospitalization expenses, daycare procedures, AYUSH treatments, COVID-19 coverage
Pre-Existing Conditions
Coverage after 4 years of continuous policy renewal
Co-Payment
5% co-payment on all claims
Premium
Varies based on age, sum insured, and insurer
Waiting Period
30 days for new policies; 48 months for pre-existing diseases
Daycare Procedures
Covers over 50+ daycare treatments
Room Rent Limit
Up to 2% of the sum insured per day (maximum ₹5,000 per day)
ICU Room Rent
Up to 5% of the sum insured per day (maximum ₹10,000 per day)
AYUSH Treatments
Covers Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy treatments
Maternity Coverage
Not covered
Network Hospitals
Cashless facility in network hospitals
Eligibility
Individuals aged 18 to 65 years
PYQ:
[2019] Performance of welfare schemes that are implemented for vulnerable sections is not so effective due to the absence of their awareness and active involvement at all stages of the policy process – Discuss.
