The National Health Policy acknowledges that India faces a public health challenge. It emphasises the need to focus on non-communicable diseases. These include heart ailments, diabetes and respiratory illnesses. In India 69 % of the population die of non-communicable diseases, most of them due to poor diet and lifestyles. Previously Government policies were more focused on infectious diseases. There was a dearth of studies providing a comprehensive assessment of diseases. Now a two year study has been conducted by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research, Public Health Foundation of India and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. The nationwide study is part of the Global Burden of Disease Study. Recently released, it exposes the threat in India. It has 18% of the world’s population and accounts for more than 30% the global burden of respiratory diseases. Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh are the worst victims. Lung afflictions along with Heart Disease and Diabetes stalk these states. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease accounts for more than 75% of respiratory disease in the country. Pollution is the devil which brings death. Even the rural population today register complains of Hypertension and Diabetes. Perhaps diet has much to do with this disease burden.
The Union Government has launched a flagship health programme called Ayushman Bharat. The insurance component, ballyhooed as the best in the world, means nothing for people with respiratory diseases. In the case of these illnesses, prolonged hospitalisation is not necessary. The insurance scheme has come in for sharp criticism and so the Government is planning to set up more than 1, 50, 000 healthcare centres. It is a salutary move. However, it is difficult to diagnose Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Doctors do not follow the protocol and lose sight of targets. Symptoms like cough, cold and fever are not considered to be dangerous enough and unrelated to the widespread disease. Ayushman Bharat therefore will not merely have to setup health centres but also adequately train doctors whose negligence often causes loss of lives. Apart from this it is important for the Ayushman Bharat Scheme to keep track of the functioning of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the rural areas and also the Community Health Centres (CHCs) so as to reduce the burden on District Hospitals and to enable easy access to health care for poor patients, many of whom cannot afford to travel away from their homes.