With COVID – 19, spreading its tentacles at an alarming rate and with no antidote till date to combat it, self-isolation and quarantining seems to be the only hope to prevent the virus from spreading further. With the aged and those with pre-existing medical conditions at far greater risk of contracting the virus owing to their lower immunity levels, the time is now, to look inward for foods within the home to help you fight the on-set of the infection.

Use natural herbs and spices :

Use this time to build a great immune system with foods and some easy-to-do home exercises, to help you stay fit. Time and again research has proven that, foods with ingredients like Vitamin C & E and certain types of herbs are great at boosting immunity. Fruits and vegetables which are rich in beta-carotene, Vitamin C, E and even Zinc can surely help build greater immunity. Herbs like turmeric, ginger, garlic, Tulsi and black cumin are proven to have medicinal and curative properties which have now been embraced globally.

Curcumin, for instance, an ingredient found in in the ubiquitous turmeric is a widely recognised ingredient for its anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and immunity boosting properties. Some research also points to having Tulsi with black pepper and honey provides strength to the body to fight diseases and infections. Being rich in Vitamins C, B1 and B6; minerals (phosphorous and iron), Garlic is not only a great flavour-adding agent to the food, but also a rich source of immune booster owing to its nutritive, antifungal and antiseptic properties. Key ingredients present in Garlic – sulfur compound allicin .

Preventive health check-ups.

It goes without saying, that preventive healthcare should the core for the government’s efforts in achieving health for all. Thanks to the mushrooming of chain labs and media awareness, Indians today are opening up to the concept of preventive health check-ups.  Lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, stroke, cancers and cardiovascular diseases have been long hitting us.

Detailed studies indicate that the prevalence of these diseases have resulted in an increase in the mortality figures by at least 50% in every Indian state between 1990 and 2016. Infact, every year, roughly 5.8 mn Indians succumb to heart and lung diseases, stroke, cancer and diabetes. Not far behind, non-communicable diseases are expected to comprise more than 75% of India’s disease burden by 2025.

The Government has made a good move by implementing the National Health Protection Scheme under Ayushman Bharat, to provide universal health coverage to over poor and vulnerable families. However, as a country, we are still far away from developing a robust health coverage system for our entire population. According to the WHO (2005), the estimated loss in India’s national income due to heart diseases, stroke and diabetes in 2005 was US $9 billion as compared to US $3 billion. These losses are projected to exceed US $200 billion in the next decade.

An increased tax exemption would encourage people to opt for regular health check-ups, thereby aiding in early diagnosis and in turn reducing the burden on secondary and tertiary care facilities.  Nevertheless, it is encouraging how corporates are making pre-employment health check-ups a mandatory part of the recruitment process. Not just pre-employment, they are offering yearly check-ups to all employees which will help to make a healthy society.

Mrs. D.A. Kalpaja
Chairperson
Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre

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New Delhi: While India is slowly easing its lockdown restrictions, the number of Covid-19 cases remains on the rise. Receiving adequate and on-time treatment, apart from monetary and other associated concerns have gripped large sections of the populace, particularly the migrants and the poor. Dr Indu Bhushan, chief executive officer (CEO) of Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB–PMJAY) and the National Health Authority (NHA), underscores the benefits passed on by the scheme so far to those hit by the pandemic, key features of the programme such as portability, and the challenges that remain.

Q: 1 crore beneficiaries of PMJAY, and counting, for you to be associated with this programme for close to 2 years now, how did you achieve this?

A: This shows there was a lot of pent up demand. A lot of people needed the support. We are glad we could deliver. Linking 50 crore beneficiaries with more than 21,000 hospitals in 32 states and union territories was never easy. But with the strong IT framework, we could achieve it. This is the beginning.

Q: Portability is a big advantage of Ayushman Bharat. How are you going to help migrants, who are moving back to their villages, get the benefits of the programme?

A: You are right. We are proud of the portability. Many schemes in different parts of the world didn’t have this portability advantage. This process is complex. And we could achieve this because of the background. It is a big service for those who are moving to their villages. We will be counselling migrants, making them aware of their rights and benefits. They will still have the cover when they move around. More than 1 lakh portability cases have been provided.

Q: Tell us how Ayushman Bharat is serving the people to get access to Covid-19 care?

A: Any beneficiary won’t have to pay in any empaneled hospital. More than 2,000 Ayushman beneficiaries have received free treatment under the scheme for Covid-19. And testing free for more than 3,000 beneficiaries. Right now the system is able to take care of patients, but when there is a surge the public system may not be able to help. That’s when Ayushman Bharat will be important.

Q: Hospitals say you don’t provide reimbursements on time. Is that the biggest hiccup?

A: No I don’t think so. Private hospitals have not told us about this. The payment is timely. More than 85 per cent of payment is done within 15 days. We have heard that our rates are not viable. The rates are actually based on a regression analysis.

Q: Are you expanding the coverage of the scheme, because the pandemic shows more and more people need not just affordable but free healthcare?

A: The aim is to consolidate right now. If we can provide quality services to those 50 crore people, then we will be moving to other groups.

Q: Will you be looking at giving benefits to healthcare workers under the scheme since the government has given them insurance now?

A: We are for including many groups, like ASHA workers and Anganwadi workers. Any group the government decides to include we will be happy to cover.

Q: With the current pandemic exposing many poor and vulnerable groups needing financial protection against ill health, are there any plans to expand population coverage?

A: This is a pertinent point. Because of Covid-19, our footfall in hospitals has gone down. We were doing 25 to 30 thousand treatments before the lockdown. This has gone down to 12 to 15 thousand. The drop for critical care has been about 15 to 20 per cent. People are scared to come to hospitals. Many hospitals have converted to Covid-19 hospitals. Some hospitals have closed down because they feel it is not viable to run them now. We have to look into this. There is contraction in services and demand.

Q: While PMJAY is entitlement based with no formal enrolment process, yet only 25% have been registered for availing benefits from the programme over the past 1.5 years. Are there plans to accelerate registering the target coverage?

A: People can come even without cards. Giving them a card gives them surety. We will be expanding this process of giving cards and improve enrolment when the lockdown is over.

Q: What is the biggest hiccup that’s preventing you from expanding the scope of the scheme?

A: The government is committed to providing universal health coverage. It is a question of stages. You can look at expanding a scheme without looking at lessons learnt. We provided cards to over 12 crore beneficiaries. 75 per cent of the beneficiaries don’t have cards. Small steps are better than leaps.

Q: Which states are doing very well under the scheme?

A: I don’t want to single out states. I am saying sincerely most states have done well. Some states like UP and Bihar didn’t have any scheme and have done remarkably well. Some states converged their scheme with ours. We had RSBY going and they had experience and they have done well. Gujarat and Chhattisgarh have done well. Even Rajasthan. Punjab has done well. They have recently joined. Jammu and Kashmir, in spite of the tough times it has gone through, has done very well.

Q: Your personal interventions with Delhi, Telangana, Odisha and West Bengal have been ongoing. They are still not on board.

A: Delhi is coming on board. Within a week. Odisha, we are trying. It will benefit people from the states. Even if they have a scheme they can merge it with Ayushman Bharat and improve their existing ones. You can take the benefits by joining Ayushman Bharat like national portability. West Bengal was on board. They were a part of the scheme and for some reason opted out. We hope they will join back.

In Association with CNN-News18

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