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out of pocket expenditure

Medical debt soars during pandemic

One consequence of the pandemic has been a substantial increase in medical debt. As the economic disruption due to COVID-19 drives millions into poverty, bills for medical treatment are only exacerbating the crisis and prolonging families’ suffering.  Large out-of-pocket medical spending is an issue which predates the pandemic, despite government interventions such as Ayushman Bharat. …

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Health spending needs to increase: Vardhan to states

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has urged state governments to increase their health spending in order to achieve government targets of a central boost to health spending.  “We together have achieved several health milestones, especially India being certified polio-free,” Vardhan said as he inaugurated the 13th Conference of the Central Council of Health and …

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‘Our legacy to future generations’: India and a malaria-free world

India will prioritise the eradication of malaria on its public health agenda, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has announced on the heels of a landmark report by experts which proclaims that a malaria-free world by 2050 is attainable – if a bold approach is undertaken.  “We are working towards ending malaria as soon as …

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Ill health is killing more Indians than terror. Time to change priorities?

Ill health deaths: 97 percent. Terror deaths: 0.007 percent. Let us first take a moment to digest the headline. “The two issues that took significance and helped the BJP return to power were national security and Hindu nationalism, with claims that both are under threat by unforeseen powers. The reality is different: people are dying …

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Peritoneal dialysis at your doorstep

A government programme to expand access to treatment for kidney disease could now carry an added benefit for recipients: peritoneal dialysis in the home. Kidney disease affects around one in every ten Indians, with around five lakh believed to be in need of treatment with dialysis. However, as previously reported by Health Issues India, seventy …

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India fails 83 percent of its cancer patients on treatment

In 2018, cancer killed 784,821 Indians. An estimated 2.25 million Indians are believed to be living with the disease. More than 1.15 million new cases were registered last year alone. These are worrisome figures for Indian policymakers and re-emphasise the rising burden of non-communicable diseases in India. But more worrisome are conclusions from a study …

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A father’s fifteen-year fight for a drug for his daughter

After fifteen years, a father has won a legal battle over medical expenses he paid to treat his daughter’s genetic condition. The Gujarat High Court has ruled in favour of Harshadkumar Pandya, an assistant teacher in Rajpipla, whose daughter was born with Silver-Russell syndrome, a form of dwarfism. Fifteen years back, on the advice of …

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Ayushman Bharat: Will it help to make India healthy?

One of the most significant achievements of the Narendra Modi’s government has been the mega healthcare reform ushered in with the launch of flagship healthcare scheme, Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana – better known as Ayushman Bharat, or ‘Modicare’. The ambitious scheme – often touted as the world’s biggest healthcare scheme – aims to provide …

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Modicare begins on September 25th. Here’s what we know so far.

The BJP government’s large-scale health insurance initiative was rolled out in some states today, to coincide with Independence Day celebrations across the country. Though some anticipated a full-scale launch of the programme, the scheme was not launched nationwide but began a gradual rollout in select states. Full rollout of the scheme is expected on September …

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Is health insurance the route to universal healthcare?

High expectations abound for the rollout of the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) — also known as Ayushman Bharat or Modicare. As the world’s largest government-funded health programme, the project is nothing if not ambitious. However, will it be the answer to India’s ailing health system? India has numerous health concerns putting strain on the …

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