Healthwire welcomes the new year by bringing a unique series to its readers voices of leading doctors, renowned professionals and policy makers hailing from top healthcare, research and development, financial and pharmaceutical industries who would float their ideas, suggestions and recommendations over the areas in healthcare sector that should be covered or addressed in the upcoming Union Health Budget 2020-21.
Dr. Sachin Kathuria
Speaking to Healthwire, Dr. Sachin Kathuria, Consultant Neurologist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospitals mentioned his wishlist for the upcoming Union Health Budget in detail.
The subjects of his prime focus was doctors protection Bill, expanding Ayushman Bharat to nursing homes, spreading medical tourism abroad and opening of private hospital owned healthcare centres in rural areas.
Dr. Kathuria’s Wishlist
There are a few things which we would like to see happening in the medical sector.
Firstly, a Bill which needs to be passed against the assault on doctors. Patients already have their woes and rouse regarding their family members or diseases but in that heat of the moment things might not go right for them and in such situations they act in a very inhumanly way, specially when doctors don’t havr any security cover so such acts need to be condemned and a strong Bill has to be passed so that we can avoid any untoward incident. Such an Act will also put some fear in the people that if they resort to violence then stringent action will be taken against them.
Secondly, we want the implementation of Ayushman Bharat scheme in larger hospital where they already have their beds occupied by those who can pay for their treatment. The patient come to our hospitals through a general ward category which takes a lot of time. I think this scheme should be implemented in all set ups, nursing homes, especially the ones which are registered with any medical council, and if that happens, these nursing homes could really cater the needs of the patients at a very cheap price soemthing which bigger hospitals might not be able to do because of the cost factors involved regarding the cost factor involved and service.
Thirdly, our medical tourism is doing good in Gulf countries but we should expand it to countries like Armenia and Russia where the government system of healthcare means long waiting time for the patient. I have been there and I found that such places have a lot of potential.
Lastly, some provisions should be created for big hospitals like Sir Ganga Ram, Fortis, Max Hospitals to open their own primary healthcare in rural areas which could provide their basic healthcare to people. Let that be at hospitals’ cost but such a step will also bring those hospitals good name and the brand factor is also there and then you can have a lot of patients coming over for tertiary healthcare services.
