Search results

Post COVID-19 crisis, healthcare has become a priority for every government. Furthermore, the pandemic has also made us realise why do we need an affordable healthcare delivery service at the grassroots level. As a result, the Government of India has come out with the Ayushman Sahakar scheme. This scheme has been launched by the Union Government with an aim to assist the cooperatives in the creation of healthcare infrastructure in this country. It is pertinent to note that the cooperatives in the last few years have transformed rural areas and have pushed them out of poverty. As a result, it will be interesting to see the impact cooperatives will have in the field of healthcare.

The authors in this work have discussed the history of healthcare cooperatives in India. After this, the authors have analysed the government schemes and legal provisions which regulate the functioning of healthcare cooperatives in this country. In the next part, the authors studied the Ayushman Sahakar scheme. The authors have discussed the features of the scheme and the impact it has generated in the field of healthcare. Lastly, the author has discussed the challenges which healthcare cooperatives face in this country and how we can overcome those challenges.

According to Global Healthcare Security Index 2021, India ranked 66 out of 195 countries, indicating the need and scope for improvement. The Cooperative healthcare system which has been rendering exemplary services is yet to gain visible recognition in India. Given the need for upgrading the health infrastructure in India and providing more affordable health services to the country’s growing population, it would help appreciate the large role that cooperative healthcare can play along with others. This study explores the structure, conduct, and performance of healthcare co-operatives in India, the factors contributing to their success and failure, and the challenges they face. The Health Cooperatives have a strong presence in Kerala and Karnataka and are also coming up in other parts of the country. However, a detailed database of them for public awareness is very limited. The cooperative hospitals can meet the basic requirements of curative treatment in rural and poorly-endowed urban areas. The democratic way in which they function makes them a destination for a financially weaker section. They must retain this feature. The study covers two successful cases which reveal that India needs a more dense healthcare cooperative network. Since cooperative hospitals in tune with the spirit of service run on the principle of being ‘Not-for-Profit’ they need to be supported by the governments more liberally, without however interfering with their governance and administration.