The Hindu Business Line : Arogyasri addresses only part of the problem: Lok Satta

Hyderabad, July 18: The Lok Satta Party has called for a public-private partnership by way of integrating small, low-cost private health providers with the public healthcare system.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Dr Jayaprakash Narayan, President of the party, found fault with the State Government’s policy that laid emphasis on tertiary care, while neglecting healthcare at the primary and secondary levels.

Referring to the claims made by Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, that the Arogyasri programme offered complete healthcare, a medical doctor himself, Dr Jayaprakash Narayan pointed out that the Government turned a blind eye to small but pertinent issues such as German measles, or rubella, malaria and dengue.

Rubella virus

The rubella virus, when it attacked women in the early stages of pregnancy, could result in some irrevocable diseases to the offspring, he said. “The Government claimed it spent Rs 4.22 crore on 78 deaf people for cochlear implantation in one year. But by that time, 2.40 lakh infants were already born with congenital diseases because of the rubella virus. If the Government spends just Rs 4 crore on pregnant women to tackle the rubella, we could have insulated lakhs of children from some irrevocable diseases,” he explained.

He said one crore people fell prey to various diseases every year. “While this is the case, the Government is claiming that it is providing healthcare through Arogyasri to several thousands,” he said.

He suggested the country evolve a policy on the lines of Britain and France that offered universal low-cost secondary care as well as limited tertiary care.

Shortcomings

The Arogyasri programme sought to address only a tiny per cent of diseases, while neglecting ordinary ailments that accounted for the majority of the disease burden. “It ignores maternity care, infectious diseases and general ailments and non-surgical interventions. About 60 lakh people are sliding below the poverty line every year in the State because of healthcare costs,” he said.

Who is benefiting?

He alleged that corporate hospitals were benefiting most from the programme. “Most of the private practitioners and nursing homes providing low-cost, good quality care are not being roped in,” he felt.

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