Page 13 - Insurance Times Octoberr 2022

60% people delay treat- that 24 per cent patients find deduc- ently optional. The National Health
tion of money at the time of making a Authority (NHA) is the apex body re-
ment due to no health
claim very challenging and 17 per cent sponsible for implementing this pro-
cover: Survey find the paperwork involved in the pro- gram under the Ayushman Bharat Digi-
Around 60 per cent respondents have cess complex. tal Mission, the note said.
been delaying treatment due to lack of
health cover and 67 per cent who have Edelweiss General Insur- Indigenous cervical cancer
medical insurance find it difficult to
ance partners with Health vaccine ready, set to be
understand, a study by Pristyn Care
part of Govt's immunis-
Data Labs said. Ministry for Digital health
According to the study conducted dur- IDs ation drive
ing August 1-25, 2022 by the startup An affordable and indigenously devel-
Edelweiss General Insurance has
firm, a vast majority of people want oped HPV (human papillomavirus) vac-
partnered with the Union Health Min-
alternative treatments such as cine to prevent cervical cancer is now
istry to help create digital health IDs
ayurveda, unani, siddha, homeopathy ready and will likely be included by the
for all in the country.
and naturopathy to be covered under Union government in its universal
health insurance. 'ABHA' or the Ayushman Bharat immunisation programme.
Health Account is a 14-digit number
"India has the lowest rates of health The vaccine, Cervavac, was developed
that helps users to share and access
insurance penetration and COVID-19 by Serum Institute of India with the
their health records digitally with reg-
induced medical inflation has caused support of the Department of Biotech-
istered healthcare providers. Custom-
people to delay surgeries. Elective sur- nology and will likely be priced be-
ers of EGI and the general public will
geries are not life-threatening but any tween Rs 200 and Rs 400 per dose.
be able to generate their unique ABHA
delay can impact the overall quality of
Serum Institute of India CEO Adar
number through the company's
life," Pristyn Care co-founder
Poonawalla, said: "The government of
Harsimarbir Singh said in a statement. website, an EGI note said. India will induct it in a few months in
With the rising costs of medical treat- Shanai Ghosh, EGI Executive Director the national programme. It will be af-
ments in the country, as per the study, and Chief Executive, said the program fordable."
nearly 60 per cent of the respondents would empower people to access medi- HPV is a common sexually transmitted
are delaying treatment due to the lack cal diagnosis, treatment, and financing infection. Cervical cancer, caused by
of any health cover. from verified healthcare providers and
persistence of certain high-risk strains
payors, from across the country.
The survey based on inputs received of the HPV virus, continues to be the
from over 1,100 people and internal 'ABHA' is the first step towards creat- only type of cancer preventable by
data of more than 4 lakh patients found ing digital health records, and is pres- vaccines. Two vaccine doses are sup-
The Insurance Times, October 2022 13