India unveils 'world's largest healthcare programme'
Towards a healthy India
India announced a national healthcare scheme for half a billion of its poorest citizens in a major giveaway to voters in the final budget before a general election.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said India's most vulnerable families would be able to access up to Rs 500,000 a year for hospital cover through the initiative.
Flagship protection shceme
India spends a little over one percent of its GDP on public healthcare -- one of the lowest proportions in the world -- a sum the government is aiming to increase to 2.5 percent by 2025.
"We are now launching a flagship national health protection scheme to cover 10 crore poor and vulnerable families. This is approximately 50 crore beneficiaries, by providing them up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation," Jaitley said.
Taking the pulse of rural India
The government currently provides Rs 30,000 towards healthcare for poor families, but that sum is insufficient to cover most medical procedures.
Terming the scheme as the world's largest government funded healthcare programme, Jaitley said it would take healthcare protection to a new aspirational level.
Right move
Jaitley said "adequate funds" would be provided to roll out the insurance program to 500 million of India's poorest nationwide. For tuberculosis patents, which claims more lives in the rural areas, Rs 600 crore will be allocated for the nutritional support of the patients.
Other initiatives
24 new government medical colleges and hospitals will be set up by upgrading district hospitals in the country which will ensure one medical college for three parliamentary constituencies, Jaitley announced.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.co...amme/other-initiatives/slideshow/62743030.cms
Towards a healthy India
India announced a national healthcare scheme for half a billion of its poorest citizens in a major giveaway to voters in the final budget before a general election.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said India's most vulnerable families would be able to access up to Rs 500,000 a year for hospital cover through the initiative.
Flagship protection shceme
India spends a little over one percent of its GDP on public healthcare -- one of the lowest proportions in the world -- a sum the government is aiming to increase to 2.5 percent by 2025.
"We are now launching a flagship national health protection scheme to cover 10 crore poor and vulnerable families. This is approximately 50 crore beneficiaries, by providing them up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation," Jaitley said.
Taking the pulse of rural India
The government currently provides Rs 30,000 towards healthcare for poor families, but that sum is insufficient to cover most medical procedures.
Terming the scheme as the world's largest government funded healthcare programme, Jaitley said it would take healthcare protection to a new aspirational level.
Right move
Jaitley said "adequate funds" would be provided to roll out the insurance program to 500 million of India's poorest nationwide. For tuberculosis patents, which claims more lives in the rural areas, Rs 600 crore will be allocated for the nutritional support of the patients.
Other initiatives
24 new government medical colleges and hospitals will be set up by upgrading district hospitals in the country which will ensure one medical college for three parliamentary constituencies, Jaitley announced.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.co...amme/other-initiatives/slideshow/62743030.cms
