Universal Health Care for Childhood Cancer in India: Challenges and Solutions for Implementation
Introduction: The World Health Organization has declared a Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer which aims at achieving a cure rate of atleast 60% globally. To achieve this significant planning and policy making would be needed in most LMICs including India. In this setting, having a Universal Hea...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Public Health and Primary Care |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jphpc.jphpc_36_23 |
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| author | Anukriti Srivastava Nita Radhakrishnan Archit Pandharipande Zeenat Brar Amit Pandey |
| author_facet | Anukriti Srivastava Nita Radhakrishnan Archit Pandharipande Zeenat Brar Amit Pandey |
| author_sort | Anukriti Srivastava |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction:
The World Health Organization has declared a Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer which aims at achieving a cure rate of atleast 60% globally. To achieve this significant planning and policy making would be needed in most LMICs including India. In this setting, having a Universal Healthcare Scheme, that tracks patients from first symptom to diagnosis to treatment and provides free treatment is a laudable effort by the Government of India.
Aims and Objectives:
In this paper, we describe our experience of managing children with cancer on Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) or Ayushman Bharat scheme at our center over a period of 5 years. We also identify and report few suggestions for universal implementation of this scheme in order for better coverage for children with cancers.
Methods:
The data of children aged between 0-18 years who underwent treatment for cancer with financial support from PMJAY scheme between Jan 2018 to December 2022 (5 years) was analyzed from hospital records.
Results:
59 out of 485 children treated for cancer were eligible for PMJAY (Ayushman Bharat Scheme). Only 12% of patients were found to be eligible, even when parent’s card was taken as primary proof. Overall >85% of the families who enrolled in to this scheme were highly satisfied as there were no out of pocket expenses incurred due to early initiation into the program. All patients were enrolled on treatment and 57 children completed treatment successfully. We also identify and report few suggestions for universal implementation of this scheme in order for better coverage for children with cancers.
Conclusions:
PMJAY is a people-centric scheme which provides a complete package from diagnosis to completion of treatment. The program when implemented in its totality would continue to strengthen India’s response towards the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-49914ee36c71408cb4603021a7789b47 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2772-3666 2772-3674 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Public Health and Primary Care |
| spelling | doaj-art-49914ee36c71408cb4603021a7789b472025-01-14T06:09:46ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Public Health and Primary Care2772-36662772-36742024-12-015314915210.4103/jphpc.jphpc_36_23Universal Health Care for Childhood Cancer in India: Challenges and Solutions for ImplementationAnukriti SrivastavaNita RadhakrishnanArchit PandharipandeZeenat BrarAmit PandeyIntroduction: The World Health Organization has declared a Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer which aims at achieving a cure rate of atleast 60% globally. To achieve this significant planning and policy making would be needed in most LMICs including India. In this setting, having a Universal Healthcare Scheme, that tracks patients from first symptom to diagnosis to treatment and provides free treatment is a laudable effort by the Government of India. Aims and Objectives: In this paper, we describe our experience of managing children with cancer on Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) or Ayushman Bharat scheme at our center over a period of 5 years. We also identify and report few suggestions for universal implementation of this scheme in order for better coverage for children with cancers. Methods: The data of children aged between 0-18 years who underwent treatment for cancer with financial support from PMJAY scheme between Jan 2018 to December 2022 (5 years) was analyzed from hospital records. Results: 59 out of 485 children treated for cancer were eligible for PMJAY (Ayushman Bharat Scheme). Only 12% of patients were found to be eligible, even when parent’s card was taken as primary proof. Overall >85% of the families who enrolled in to this scheme were highly satisfied as there were no out of pocket expenses incurred due to early initiation into the program. All patients were enrolled on treatment and 57 children completed treatment successfully. We also identify and report few suggestions for universal implementation of this scheme in order for better coverage for children with cancers. Conclusions: PMJAY is a people-centric scheme which provides a complete package from diagnosis to completion of treatment. The program when implemented in its totality would continue to strengthen India’s response towards the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jphpc.jphpc_36_23cancerindiauniversal health care |
| spellingShingle | Anukriti Srivastava Nita Radhakrishnan Archit Pandharipande Zeenat Brar Amit Pandey Universal Health Care for Childhood Cancer in India: Challenges and Solutions for Implementation Journal of Public Health and Primary Care cancer india universal health care |
| title | Universal Health Care for Childhood Cancer in India: Challenges and Solutions for Implementation |
| title_full | Universal Health Care for Childhood Cancer in India: Challenges and Solutions for Implementation |
| title_fullStr | Universal Health Care for Childhood Cancer in India: Challenges and Solutions for Implementation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Universal Health Care for Childhood Cancer in India: Challenges and Solutions for Implementation |
| title_short | Universal Health Care for Childhood Cancer in India: Challenges and Solutions for Implementation |
| title_sort | universal health care for childhood cancer in india challenges and solutions for implementation |
| topic | cancer india universal health care |
| url | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jphpc.jphpc_36_23 |
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