Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Good, but not enough: On the extended coverage of the Ayushman Bharat scheme

Good, but not enough: On the extended coverage of the Ayushman Bharat scheme

Extension (विस्तार, वृद्धि) of free health coverage to all over 70 years is good, but more needs to be done

In a welcome (स्वागतयोग्य, प्रसन्नकारी) move (कदम, कार्य), the Union government’s decision to extend the coverage of Ayushman Bharat (आयुष्मान भारत) Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) to senior citizens over 70 years, irrespective of (बिना विचार किए, के बावजूद) their income, provides a modicum (little bit or small amount of something, particularly a good quality) of free health coverage to nearly 60 million people. With out-of-pocket expenditure ((cash) payments made directly and that may not be reimbursed) for health care in India among the highest in the world, the decision is indeed (वास्तव में) laudable (प्रशंसनीय, सराहनीय). While the decision to provide free health coverage up to ₹0.5 million per year for a section of the population is noble (superb, excellent, splendid, magnificent, impressive, exceptional), it will in no way fulfil (पूरा करना, संपन्न करना) the public health objectives (लक्ष्य) that are much needed for the targeted beneficiaries (लाभार्थी, प्राप्तकर्ता). First and foremost (सबसे पहले और सबसे महत्वपूर्ण), the health assurance scheme is limited (सीमित, प्रतिबंधित) to secondary and tertiary care (The tertiary care level is for extremely specialized care over a short or extended period involving complex and advanced equipment, treatment or procedures, often for severe or life-threatening conditions) hospitalisation (अस्पताल में भर्ती). The absence of coverage for outpatient care, diagnostics (the process of identifying a disease) and medicines is particularly concerning (worrying, disturbing, alarming, bothering) as chronic (दीर्घकालिक, पुराना, निरंतर) diseases have increased sharply in India in the last few decades (a period of ten years). Increased life expectancy (the number of years a person can expect to live (based on the statistical average)) and an early onset (start, beginning, arrival) of these diseases would mean that people over 70 may very often suffer from multiple chronic diseases. Most of the health-care expenditure by the elderly will, therefore, be through outpatient care (40%-80%), which will not be covered by the scheme. Since its launch (rollout) in 2018, the penetration (reach, spread) of PM-JAY into smaller cities and towns has been low in most States. Unlike in most of the southern States, primary and secondary health care in the public sector has been largely (mostly, mainly, generally) neglected (ignored, missed, overlooked, abandoned, disregarded) and is inadequate and ill equipped to meet the demand in other parts. Robust (strong, powerful) primary and secondary public health care will sharply cut (reduce, decrease, lessen) the load (a burden, pressure (of responsibility)) on tertiary health care and hence the need for curative care; a reduced curative care (the treatment of a patient with the intent of curing the patient’s disease or condition) load at tertiary hospitals will make the PM-JAY scheme succeed.

Thailand focused and progressively (steadily, gradually, in step by step manner) strengthened its primary health-care system, and even diverted funds earmarked (set aside, put aside, preserve, reserve, withhold, allot, allocate) for urban hospitals to build rural hospitals and health centres to attain (achieve, accomplish, reach, fulfil, realize) universal health coverage (it means that all people have access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship. It covers the full continuum of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care; Insurance for all). In contrast, in the U.S., banking primarily (mostly, mainly, largely, most importantly) on insurance-based schemes is what led to the surging (increasing, rising rapidly) costs of health care. India appears to be going the U.S. way. Though there is waning (decrease, lessening, diminishing, declining) enthusiasm (eagerness, zeal, energy/vigour, readiness, devotion, commitment) in the private sector due to (because of, owing to, on account of, as a result of, in view of) low treatment rates and delayed payment, as per media reports, since its launch, two-thirds of the total money spent each year under the PM-JAY scheme went to private hospitals; it was 53% in the case of the southern States. Weakened primary and secondary health care will result in an overload (overburden) in tertiary health care, which the private players will be well poised (get into position, be ready/prepared to do something) to take advantage of (use, utilize, make use of, capitalize on, exploit, cash in on, milk). This can lead to a further shrinking (decrease, decline, reduce, lessen, diminish) of the government’s commitment (responsibility, onus, accountability, obligation, liability) to strengthen the public health-care system by over-relying (over-dependent on, over-reliant on) on the insurance modality (a particular method; a specific procedure (of doing or experiencing something)) which is neither affordable nor will provide appropriate health care for the needy (poor/poverty-stricken, underprivileged, impoverished). In its present form, PM-JAY is a measure (action, step, move, procedure) that is essential, but is incomplete.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Ayushman Bharat (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आयुष्मान भारत
English Meaning - Ayushman Bharat is National Health Protection Scheme in India, which will cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) providing coverage up to 5 lakh rupees per family per year for secondary and tertiary (highly specialized) care hospitalization.

2.extension (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विस्तार, वृद्धि
English Meaning - increase, enlargement, expansion.

3.welcome (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - स्वागतयोग्य, प्रसन्नकारी
English Meaning - pleasing, agreeable, favourable, heartening, encouraging, promising, much needed.

4.move (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कदम, कार्य
English Meaning - step, action, act, measure, tactic.

5.irrespective of (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - बिना विचार किए, के बावजूद
English Meaning - without considering, regardless of, in spite of something.

6.indeed (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - वास्तव में
English Meaning - in fact, actually, for sure, definitely, without (a) doubt.

7.laudable (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रशंसनीय, सराहनीय
English Meaning - praiseworthy, commendable, applaudable, admirable, creditable, excellent.

8.fulfil (verb)

Hindi Meaning - पूरा करना, संपन्न करना
English Meaning - accomplish, achieve, carry out, complete.

9.objective (noun)

Hindi Meaning - लक्ष्य
English Meaning - aim, intention, purpose, target, goal.

10.beneficiary (noun)

Hindi Meaning - लाभार्थी, प्राप्तकर्ता
English Meaning - recipient, receiver.

11.first and foremost (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - सबसे पहले और सबसे महत्वपूर्ण
English Meaning - to emphasize the most important quality of something; primarily, mainly; to begin with.

12.limited (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सीमित, प्रतिबंधित
English Meaning - restricted.

13.primary care (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्राथमिक देखभाल
English Meaning - The primary care level often includes everyday healthcare, given by general doctors and nurses at a physician’s office who act as the first contact with a patient for non-emergency situations.

14.hospitalisation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अस्पताल में भर्ती
English Meaning - the act of taking (or) admitting someone to (or) in hospital for treatment.

15.chronic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - दीर्घकालिक, पुराना, निरंतर
English Meaning - incurable, persistent, long-term, constantly recurring, long-standing.

16.modicum (noun)

English Meaning - little bit or small amount of something, particularly a good quality.

17.out-of-pocket expenditure (noun)

English Meaning - (cash) payments made directly and that may not be reimbursed.

18.up to (phrase)

English Meaning - indicating a maximum amount.

19.noble (adjective)

English Meaning - superb, excellent, splendid, magnificent, impressive, exceptional.

20.in no way (phrase)

English Meaning - not at all.

21.foremost (adjective)

English Meaning - most important, most prominent, major, notable.

22.secondary care (noun)

English Meaning - The secondary care level refers to health services given by specialized medical professionals who are typically the second contact with a patient, often referred from the primary care provider.

23.tertiary care (noun)

English Meaning - The tertiary care level is for extremely specialized care over a short or extended period involving complex and advanced equipment, treatment or procedures, often for severe or life-threatening conditions.

24.diagnostics (noun)

English Meaning - the process of identifying a disease.

25.concerning (adjective)

English Meaning - worrying, disturbing, alarming, bothering.

26.decade (noun)

English Meaning - a period of ten years.

27.life expectancy (noun)

English Meaning - the number of years a person can expect to live (based on the statistical average).

28.onset (noun)

English Meaning - start, beginning, arrival.

29.launch (noun)

English Meaning - rollout.

30.penetration (noun)

English Meaning - reach, spread.

31.largely (adverb)

English Meaning - mostly, mainly, generally.

32.neglected (adjective)

English Meaning - ignored, missed, overlooked, abandoned, disregarded.

33.ill-equipped (adjective)

English Meaning - unqualified, incapable, ineligible, inadequate, incompetent, unsuitable, insufficient, deficient.

34.robust (adjective)

English Meaning - strong, powerful.

35.cut (verb)

English Meaning - reduce, decrease, lessen.

36.load (noun)

English Meaning - a burden, pressure (of responsibility).

37.curative care (noun)

English Meaning - the treatment of a patient with the intent of curing the patient’s disease or condition.

38.progressively (adverb)

English Meaning - steadily, gradually, in step by step manner.

39.earmark (verb)

English Meaning - set aside, put aside, preserve, reserve, withhold, allot, allocate.

40.attain (verb)

English Meaning - achieve, accomplish, reach, fulfil, realize.

41.universal health coverage (UHC) (noun)

English Meaning - it means that all people have access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship. It covers the full continuum of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care; Insurance for all.

42.by/in contrast (phrase)

English Meaning - when compared to another.

43.bank on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - rely on, depend on; anticipate, expect.

44.primarily (adverb)

English Meaning - mostly, mainly, largely, most importantly.

45.led to past & past participle of lead to (verb)

English Meaning - result in, cause, bring on, bring about, give rise to.

46.surging (adjective)

English Meaning - increasing, rising rapidly.

47.go the way of (phrase)

English Meaning - to follow the pattern of.