Out-of-pocket medical expenses remain high in India - CAM Survey
New Delhi: The average out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) for hospitalisation, including institutional deliveries, in rural and urban India stood at ₹4,129 and ₹5,290 per household, respectively, between July 2022 and June 2023, according to the Comprehensive Annual Modular (CAM) Survey by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).
OOPE refers to the expenses households bear at the time of receiving healthcare, and it is a key measure of financial protection in healthcare payments. The survey, released on Wednesday, was conducted as part of the 79th round of the National Sample Survey (NSS). Covering over 3 lakh households across India, the CAM survey aims to generate data on education, healthcare expenditure, digital use, financial inclusion, and asset possession, except for certain villages in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The survey also noted that rural and urban households spent an average of ₹539 and ₹606, respectively, on medical services not requiring hospitalisation within a 30-day period. Additionally, individual costs of hospitalisation in rural areas amounted to ₹1,035, with 91.3% being OOPE, while in urban areas, the cost was ₹1,879, with 60.9% from OOPE.
Despite government health initiatives, OOPE remains a significant burden. The survey reveals that the average cost of hospitalisation during the period was ₹4,496 in rural areas and ₹6,877 in urban areas. This indicates that rural households spent about 92% of their hospitalisation costs from their own pockets, while urban households covered approximately 77% of these costs through OOPE.
In contrast, the 75th NSS round in 2017-18 recorded higher average medical expenditures for hospitalisation, at ₹16,676 in rural areas and ₹26,475 in urban areas. This suggests some progress, likely influenced by schemes like Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), which provides health coverage of ₹5 lakh to nearly 50 crore Indians.
Health experts have also noted a rise in private health insurance uptake, especially post-Covid-19, as a contributing factor in reducing OOPE. However, public health specialists warn that OOPE alone does not provide a complete picture. Catastrophic healthcare expenditure (CHE) and the percentage of people pushed into poverty due to healthcare costs are also important indicators to assess financial protection in healthcare.
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B'desh: Lawyer killed in clash between security personnel, followers of Hindu leader
Dhaka, Nov 26: A lawyer was killed on Tuesday during clashes between the security personnel and followers of a Hindu community leader, who was denied bail and sent to jail by a Bangladesh court, according to local media reports.
The victim was identified as Saiful Islam, a 35-year-old assistant public prosecutor and a member of the Chattogram District Bar Association, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.
Citing Dr Nibedita Ghosh, a duty doctor at the emergency department of Chittagong Medical College Hospital, the paper said that six others were injured in the clashes that erupted after Chattogram’s Sixth Metropolitan Magistrate court denied bail to prominent Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, arrested on sedition charges.
Nazim Uddin Chowdhury, president of the Chittagong Lawyers' Association, said that protesters dragged a lawyer from beneath his chamber and hacked him to death.
As Das was being taken away in a police van, he addressed the crowd through a hand mike, urging them to remain calm.
Around 3 pm, the law enforcement agencies resorted to sound grenades, tear gas shells, and baton charges, dispersing the protesters.
Deputy Commissioner of City Police Liaquat Ali confirmed one death but said they were still investigating the cause.
The Daily Star newspaper reported that at least 10 people, including journalists, were injured during the clash.
