H(w)ealthy threshold…

India – a country where medical expense is 7% and 5% of consumer expenditure in rural and urban areas respectively, it is quite a shame that even with profuse resources, the government chooses to spend only a measly 1% (approx.) on health, a figure which might just reach a mere 6% by 2010.

On the contrary, retrospection reveals that an unprecedented attempt is being made by a lot of ashrams in order to make a difference in the lives of the beleaguering lot who can’t afford to shell out lakhs for private medical treatment. For instance, the Ram Krishna Shewa Shangha has 15 hospitals with 2,254 beds and treated 84,690 patients in 2006 and this was further complemented by 129 dispensaries and 49 mobile medical units. And for that matter, the splendid Swami Ramdev Ashram near Hardwar is pioneered under the tutelage of the guru himself and has space for 5,000 patients who could be from any rung in the socio-economic spectrum. A patient whose treatment cost nothing less than Rs.26,000 was healed at almost an amount equivalent to zilch in the lesser known Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram.

With millions dollars of investments in the industry and emergence of hospitals like Rockland, Appollo, are catching eyes of millions. Unfortunately, high costs of medicare in those hospitals are beyond the budget of millions of middle and lower class Indians. In such situations, these ashrams are delivering quality medication with modern technology at cheap cost, world class infrastructure, environment, dedicated and experienced doctors and most importantly, unique approachability of serving, which is ‘unsellable’. Well, with the increasing number of Good Samaritans with good intentions in the motherland, it seems like India can really look forward to a new dawn in ambit of medicare and health.