The Rising Tide of Non-Communicable Diseases Among Indian Women: Challenges and Opportunities
In India, the surge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory conditions, and diabetes among women is becoming an alarming trend. This health crisis is highlighting significant gaps in access to healthcare for women. Despite the rapid growth of public-funded health insurance programs like the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), women face numerous barriers both within their households and during their interactions with the healthcare system.
The paper underscores the imperative to address women’s health needs amid this shifting disease landscape, which varies drastically across different Indian states. It points to both the challenges and opportunities that policy-makers and researchers need to consider in order to improve women’s access to health services.
One of the key opportunities identified is the potential of public-funded health insurance schemes to make healthcare more affordable. However, the effectiveness of these schemes is hampered by limited understanding of the various social, economic, and technological barriers that women face in accessing these services. This highlights the necessity for gender-specific analyses across various states to devise tailored interventions that can enhance healthcare access for women.
Conversely, the most significant challenge remains the under-recognition of women’s empowerment in the context of NCDs. Women’s agency in seeking healthcare is often constrained by prevailing social norms and economic limitations. To truly empower women, there needs to be a focus on improving economic and digital literacy, which can enable them to navigate health services more effectively.
In conclusion, addressing the rising tide of NCDs among Indian women requires a multi-faceted approach that not only involves improving health insurance schemes but also dismantling the social and economic barriers that limit women’s access to necessary healthcare services. This dual approach will be crucial for crafting policies that ensure equitable health access for women across India.
Original Story https://csep.org/working-paper/health-insurance-access-and-disease-profile-for-women-in-india/
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