Ayushman India: A challenging road ahead

Despite being launched, it is highly unlikely that the politicians will be able to execute Ayushman scheme successfully. The success of the scheme will hinge upon hospitals, doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and pharmacists, who often abandon patients and go on strikes

Dr SB MisraDr SB Misra   28 Sep 2019 6:19 AM GMT

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Ayushman India: A challenging road ahead

Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched Ayushman Bharat Yojana, but the key to its success lies elsewhere. First impediment to the scheme has been indicated by the pithy adage of the wise 'Vaidyarajah Yamrajashch Sahodara' (Doctor and the death god 'Yamraja' are brothers). It was so said because while Yamraja only takes lives, doctors take both, lives as well as money. Nothing could be truer today because patients continue to die while doctors proceed on strikes.

Despite many hurdles, our country pines for longevity since ages, as expressed in the blessing 'Jeevem Sharadah Shatam' (May you live a 100 autumns!). Similarly, if elders bless the children, they say 'Ayushman Bhava' (Live long or eternally). But one does not live to be hundred by just being blessed or by the declaration of Ayushman Bharat Yojana by the government.

Balanced vegetarian diet may also help India to become Ayushman or attain longevity. India would live long on a diet of maggi, noodles, macaroni, pizza, bread, and burgers. People in the western world may eat this type of food, but they do so in addition to the substantial intake of eggs, meat, fish, milk, fruits, and vegetables. It is not that only meat-based diet provides longevity, even a balanced vegetarian diet is capable of doing the same. Junk food, however, can claim no health benefit.

Our lifestyles have undergone a radical change since Independence and the country has become a hub of lifestyle health disorders like diabetes, high blood pressure, infertility and most recently a sloth nation. Would Ayushman Bharat Yojana be able to rid us of all these health anomalies?

Whatever maybe it in the past, presently, the average age in the country is of 68 years. This average Would Ayushman Bharat Yojana be able to rid us of all these health anomalieswas pretty low during Independence and has improved vastly since. Even today, African countries have an average in between 50 and 60 years. As against this, in countries like Hong Kong and Japan, the average age is about 84 years, whereas for other developed nations too, it exceeds 80 years.

This average age is dependent upon the age of tissues and cells that our body is made up which comes pre-planned. But subject to wear and tear these fall sick and die an untimely death, taking down the human body with them. Diseases, infant-deaths and accidents claim several human lives and affect the national age average. Doctors and other medical staff strikes also pose huge hurdles in the smooth execution of Ayushman India.

Despite being launched, it is highly unlikely that the politicians will be able to execute Ayushman scheme successfully. The success of the scheme will hinge upon hospitals, doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and pharmacists. Doctors have been placed second to god and are also given Hippocratic Oath to protect the diseased. Women approach doctors with great hopes for treatment and safe delivery. They are admitted and then the doctors and nurses abandon them to proceed on strikes due to which several women and infants lose their lives. For the successful implementation of Ayushman India, it is vital that the government also launches stringent measures to curb doctors' strikes.

Ayushman Bharat Yojana is contextual and vital but our lifestyle, balanced diet, Yoga practices, Ayurvedic Sciences and hospitals will play a key role in its success. Similarly, its failure would be wrought by doctors and medical staff-strikes, unavailability of medicines and quality standard issues.

Ayushman Bharat Yojana rests on the purity (and harmony) of five elements of the human body namely -- earth, air, water, sky, and fire.

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