Right to good health care is a fundamental right in India.  Therefore, one can easily gauge how important it is for citizens to receive quality health care.

The healthcare landscape in Himachal Pradesh has been truly revolutionized over the past few years. I must give complete credit for the same to Modiji and Jairamji who have made it happen. Let us take a look at some of the statistics: as per the data available from 2018, the Infant Mortality Rate in Himachal Pradesh is 25 whereas the national average is 34. The newborn mortality rate is 16 which is one of the best in the country. The total Fertility Rate of the state is 1.7 whereas national average is 2.3. The birth rate in the state is 16 against all India average of 21.6 per 1,000 people. These indicate the quality of healthcare and medical services available in the state.

Special Initiatives by the State Government and Union Government in the health care sector:

I will now highlight the key initiatives which have been undertaken, thanks to the laudable efforts of Modiji and Jairamji. In my opinion, these initiatives have placed the state on top of the list when it comes to quality health care services available in India.

In October 2018, Jairam ji announced several key health schemes for the residents of the state. These included: Mukhaya Mantri Chikitsa Raahat Kosh, Mukhya Mantri Rajya Swasthya Dekhbhal Yojana, and Telemedicine scheme for Pangi in Chamba district.

• Jairam ji’s efforts revamped the HPUHPS which was introduced by the erstwhile government. The scheme, in its new avatar, aims to improve access of enrolled beneficiaries and their families to quality healthcare for cashless treatment of diseases, which involve hospitalization through empannelled healthcare providers. The APL/BPL card holders issued by Dept. of Food and Civil Supplies, Govt. of Himachal are eligible to be covered under the scheme. However, such individuals have to register on HPUHPS Portal for smart card under the scheme. Under this scheme, the beneficiaries would be entitled to receive a cashless treatment under basis package of Rs.30,000 and critical care of Rs.1,75,000  in case of hospitalization. For cancer patients the critical care package limit is 2,25,000 annually. One of the best features of this scheme is that there is no cap on the number of family members. If the family size exceeds five, an additional card will be given to the family.

• The amount of assistance provided under the Mukhya Mantri Rajya Swasthya Dekhbhal Yojana has been increased from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 5 lakh. This is a clear indication of the efforts taken by Jairamji’s government to provide the best healthcare support to the residents of Himachal Pradesh.

• Another revolutionary scheme is the Mukhyamantri Chikitsa Rahat Kosh Yojana. Under this scheme, citizens will have access to 24X7 specialized medical and emergency services. Those patients who are not covered under the social security pension scheme will receive financial assistance from the state government. I believe that this is a great scheme which will have far-reaching effects.

• Himachal Pradesh is one of the few states to boast of a Digital Nerve Center’, or DiNC. These centers use a range of technologies to deliver cutting edge healthcare to local residents. This has been only possible due to the continued efforts of Jairamji.

Now let us take a look at a key policy of the Union Government which has been significant in the healthcare sector.

Under Modiji’s leadership, the previous government launched the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, popularly known as Ayushman Bharat. This government-sponsored health insurance scheme provides free coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year in any government or empanelled private hospitals all over India. The scheme is targeted to benefit the poor and the economically underprivileged citizens of the country. The program is funded via 60 percent contribution from the Centre and the remaining from the respective state government. Jairamji’s government has been very prompt in implementing the Ayushman Bharat scheme. According to the health and family welfare minister of Himachal Pradesh, more than 10,000 beneficiaries have received free treatment worth Rs13 crore.

Additionally, the state government has also introduced the Himachal Health Care Scheme’ or HIMCARE for those families who are not beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. HIMCARE provides cashless treatment coverage of Rs. 5 lakh per year per family on family floater basis subject to maximum of five members per family unit. In case the family has more members, the remaining members can enrol as a separate unit. At present, 202 hospitals in the state are registered under HIMCARE which includes 48 private hospitals.

Conclusion

The above milestones indicate the efforts put in by both Modiji and Jairamji to make quality healthcare services accessible to all. The old saying goes – health is the biggest wealth. Therefore, it shouldn’t be restricted to only those who can afford private hospitals. These schemes are a ray of sunshine in the lives of the economically underprivileged classes. I am very confident that through the collaborative efforts, the health care ecosystem in Himachal Pradesh will be one of the best in the country.