How Many Actually Availed BSKY: Odisha Health Minister Gives Confusing Numbers

Even as the Odisha government claims that a whopping 92.5 lakh households in the State will be given smart cards under the flagship scheme, Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), the State health department seems to have no clue about the actual number of hospitalisations to date under the scheme.

Submitting a written reply in the State Assembly on Monday, Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das provided very sketchy details about the total hospitalisation taken place in the State under the flagship scheme touted as 'Naveencare'.

To a question by Loishinga BJP MLA Mukesh Mahaling over the number of male and female beneficiaries under BKSY, Das gave a very opaque reply.

"As of date, males in the State have availed the BSKY for a total of over 7.54 crore times and females benefitted by 9.22 cr times," said Health Minister Naba Das. (see the image below)

Naveen Care

The statement of the State's Health Minister can be read as BSKY has been availed for a total of over 16.76 crore times in Odisha. The answer of Health Minister Naba K Das has no data on headcount hospitalisation beneficiaries, rather it provided information regarding the number of times BSKY (means number of hospital visits/admissions by an individual) was availed in the State.

Odisha Population

According to the projections by the Registrar General of India (RGI), the population of the State in 2021 is estimated at over 4.4crore. The total male population in the State has been projected at more than 2.134 cr, the total females have been projected at 2.26 crore.

Hospitalisation Map

As per the data available with Odisha Health Department, in the year 2020-21 alone, the hospitalisation cases in Odisha were a total of over 22.4 lakhs. The data further indicated that the number of OPD attendance in the State was over 5.17 crore. It also shows a total of over 4 per cent of OPD patients had gone for hospitalisation last year.

A look at the NSSO report 'Health in India' reveals that the number of hospitalisations in Odisha during the year 2017-18 was over 13.5 lakh. The NSSO data also reports that over 76 per cent of hospitalisations in Odisha were due to chronic ailments.

A comparison shows a rise of over 9 lakh hospitalisations in Odisha during the last 3-years (2017-18 to 2020-21).

A thorough glance at the OPD and Hospitalisation numbers underline the fact of multiple visits or hospitalisation by an individual to treat the ailment.

Modicare Hospitalisation Table

As per the data with Union Health Ministry, the authorised hospital admissions under the Ayushman Bharat (AB) scheme since its inception have been 2.11 crore, including around 4 lakh Covid-19 hospitalisation.

The total Modicare smart cards issued as on Sept 6 stood at over 16.38crore when the number of beneficiaries eligible stands at around 50crore.

A glance at the AB numbers shows only the hospitalisation data, not multiple visits by an individual.

The Bottomline

Another written submission by Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das on the floor of the House yesterday with regard to Modicare Vs Naveencare dropped the big hint about the actual BSKY data tabled in the State Assembly. (see the image below).

Naba Kishore Das On BSKY