Healthy Decision of a Poor Nation

I came across a very interesting data on distribution of Gross National Income (GNI) of our country. We have around 1,20,000 ‘super’ High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) – who comprise mere 0.01 percent of the total population, but they own 30 percent of India’s GNI! Remaining 99.99 percent of us share the remaining 70 percent, which looks better. But, if we take top 10 percent of High Net Worth Individuals, then for the remaining 90 percent of the individuals – hardly anything is left to share! In the list of per capita income with 170 countries, India is listed down at #128 with per capita income of 441 USD only. With the rising inflation, especially of food and commodity items, it is difficult to imagine that with such low income how our countrymen are surviving? Further, India has about 16% of world population, whereas expenditure on healthcare in our country is only 1% of Global expenditure. Out of 175 countries surveyed by WHO, we rank at rock bottom 171 in terms of percentage of GDP expenditure on healthcare.

For becoming a world leader and sustaining the fast economic growth that our country is aspiring for, it is very important that the common man is vastly benefitted by involving them in large numbers in the success story of India. Some of the recent policy decisions by the government in this line have been really good. For instance, Jawaharlal Nehru Rozgar Yojna and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act2005 (MNREGA) guaranteeing 100 days of employment to rural household has been a good step in this direction. Instances of misuse of funds under this scheme too have come to light, but more or less these schemes are achieving the aim of enhancing the livelihood security of people in rural areas.

It is learnt that government is all set to launch world’s biggest pilot project in health sector in which more than 20 crore people will be screened for various diseases including cancer, diabetes and cardio-vascular diseases in 100 remote and inaccessible districts and in 33 cities in next 14 months! Data card also would be issued to all people who will be screened in this pilot project. This scheme, if executed with sincerity and without the involvement of the money guzzlers, would certainly put life into the country and bring cheer on countless faces. Let us hope that the government develops a mechanism to trace each and every paisa spent on the scheme, selects the individuals and organizations with transparent and honest intent, and keeps tab on the entire program like a time bound project.

I am very much optimistic about the success of government’s decision for the mega health check-up program. It would be first of its kind and let its success enthuse the government to cover all the countrymen who have no access to healthcare. It is understood that post health check up, treatment is also covered; else mere diagnosis is not going to cure the illness.

While the government does its job, let us ensure that we encourage the needy poor people in our vicinity to go thru the medical check-ups in the nearby medical camps which would be organized in different parts of the country. And before we do that, let us also think about ourselves and family members – when did we last go for a health check up? It is time now!

Wish you health and happiness, always!

Madhukar Mohan