12.12.2019 is Universal Health Coverage Day
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) means that every person should have access to quality health care without facing financial hardship. UHC is one of the targets of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2019, UHC day is observed on 12th December (12.12) with the theme ‘Keep the promise’. On 23rd September 2019, the United Nations General Assembly held a high-level meeting on universal health coverage. All UN member states signed the most ambitious & comprehensive political declaration on health in history. This year’s theme is a call for the governments to keep that promise and ensure health for all.
Catastrophic Health Expenditure is a leading cause of impoverishment. Catastrophic Health Expenditure refers to a family which has spent money on medical treatment to the extent that it becomes difficult to maintain the basic family needs. UHC is not confined to health expenditure. It also means that every person should have access to healthcare of good quality which improves their health, and is available to them at the place and time of need.
Government of India launched Ayushman Bharat with the two pillars of Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) for promotion, prevention, and comprehensive primary health care; and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY)/National Health Protection Mission (NHPM) for secondary and tertiary care.
Under Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres initiative, all Sub Centres are envisaged to be upgraded to HWCs to provide comprehensive primary health care by the year 2022. In Nagaland, 7 Urban Primary Health Centres, 3 PHCs and 53 SCs are upgraded and functioning and 104 Community Health officers are already posted. A total of 35,906 patients have availed benefit. A positive result is that in these erstwhile Sub Centres where no institutional deliveries used to take place, a total of 59 deliveries were reported from May to October 2019 in 20 HWCs. Provision of essential medicines and free basic diagnostics, screening of common non-communicable diseases, and training of health personnel have all improved.
Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) provides insurance cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per year to poor and vulnerable families. The scheme covers 2.33 lakhs households in Nagaland. So far, over 85,000 households have been reached with at least 1 health card issued, and a total of 2.4 lakhs individual cards have been issued. Cashless service worth 9 crores has been already availed by patients from Nagaland till date. This includes free treatment worth Rs. 52.4 lakhs availed by Nagaland patients in hospitals outside the State, as the benefit can be availed from any empanelled hospital across the country. Treatment packages include medical packages, surgical packages, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, emergency care, day care like dialysis, etc. There are 66 empanelled hospitals in Nagaland, which includes all District Hospitals, Community Health Centres and some Primary Health Centres and 6 private hospitals. To check eligibility and details of the scheme, any of the empanelled hospitals or Common Service Centres may be contacted. There is a dedicated WhatsApp number run by State Health Agency PMJAY to check eligibility (9089776177) of Nagaland beneficiaries. Any person can send message mentioning family name details to this number to check eligibility. PMJAY mobile App is available for android phones through which anyone can search for eligibility, hospitals, ecard centres, frequently asked questions, analytics, file grievance, etc.
Along with the National Health Mission and its pre-existing vertical programs, Ayushman Bharat is a big step forward taken by the government of India in the march towards Universal Health Coverage.
State Health Agency (AB-PMJAY)
Directorate of Health and Family Welfare
Nagaland: Kohima
