IN BIHAR, THERE'S 1 DOCTOR FOR 18,000 PATIENTS; MEET DOCTOR COUPLE WHO BUILT A CHEAP HOSPITAL IN INDIA TO HELP OUT
At first sight, the
cheerful-looking red and white painted building looks like a quiet public rest
house in the din and bustle of Hajipur, a fast developing town in India's
northern state of Bihar.
But look closely and you see a stream of
people entering Aastha Hospital, run by an enterprising doctor couple who left
lucrative jobs in India's private sector to set up a facility offering quality
treatment at affordable prices.
The
public health system is in a shambles although the state has some 800 government
hospitals and primary health centres, and about 2,000 private nursing homes or
clinics. Federal laws regulating private facilities are routinely flouted.
Just one doctor for every 18,000 patients
makes for overworked physicians and suspicious patients. Reimbursement for a
modest state-funded health insurance for the very poor is difficult to raise
without paying a bribe. By one estimate, two-thirds of medicines in the
wholesale market are spurious.
Seven years ago, the
doctor couple returned to their native state after working at home and abroad.
Dr Varma worked in a state-run hospital, before they decided to set up their
hospital.
In the process, surgeon Atul Varma, and
ophthalmologist Jayashree Shekhar, have upended the widely held notion that you
cannot get quality healthcare in India unless you are affluent.
After all, India
spends a paltry 1% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health, which is
among the lowest in the world. At 69% of total household expenses, private
spending on health is among the highest in the world. Millions of Indians
become bankrupt meeting medical expenses. Although the state provides free
treatment, only 22% of people in villages, and 19% of people in cities access
government-run outpatient facilities.
Culled from 'BBC'
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