Struggling healthcare sector in 2024: Telangana faces drug shortages, NEET controversy, and worker protests

The poor and the middle class were just one major hospitalization away from bankruptcy due to escalating out-of-pocket medical expenses in private health care.

Hyderabad: Year 2024 was quite challenging for the heath care sector. The poor and the needy had to deal with neglect in government hospitals while the middle class grappled with escalating costs in private healthcare.

Even those with insurance faced numerous difficulties due to rejected claims. The poor and the middle class were just one major hospitalization away from bankruptcy due to escalating out-of-pocket medical expenses in private health care.

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Here are some of the noteworthy events that took place in the health sector this year:

January: (Covid at its last leg)

Country witnessed the last Covid wave (although not a major surge) in January, following three major Covid waves between 2020 and 2023. The minor surge in Covid cases this January was because of JN.1 variant of the Covid virus, which was not fatal as patients recovered within days.

This month, Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer Biological E. Limited (BE) announced receiving Emergency Use Listing (EUL) from WHO for its Corbevax, the Covid vaccine that is based on the XBB1.5 variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

April: (Severe shortage of TB drugs/ The Lancet criticizes Modi Govt for inept handling of health)

Like elsewhere in the country, TB patients in Telangana dependent on government health care struggled due to severe shortage of drugs. In April, Telangana just had buffer stock of TB drugs to last for less than 30-days.

The Lancet editorial criticized the Modi Government for poor handling and the state-of-affairs of public healthcare in India. The journal censured the Centre for failing to deliver quality healthcare for people most in need. Overall, government spending on health has fallen and now hovers around an abysmal 1-2 percent of gross domestic product, out-of-pocket expenditure on health care remains extremely high , The Lancet editorial said.

May/ June: (NEET paper leak and travails of MBBS students)

MBBS aspirants spent sleepless nights following reports of paper leak of NEET medical entrance examination of 2024. Over 23 lakh students had appeared for NEET 2024. MBBS aspirants, parents, edu-influencers and private training institutions raised concerns over the way the ranks were issued, with some even demanding that the examination be re-conducted.

July/August: (Surge of viral fevers/ dengue and Chikungunya)

Arrival of monsoons triggered a major surge in dengue and chikungunya cases. Initially, the health department tried to assure people that the dengue infections were not many but the massive surge in infections forced the department to acknowledge that Telangana had 9800 positive cases in 2024. Similar was the situation with Chikungunya infections, which was denied by the health department. However, a CDC advisory on Chikungunya forced health department to share that nearly 600 positive cases were reported.

August/Sept: (General transfers in the health department/Rollback of KCR KITs)

The general transfers in the health department created unrest among government doctors and crippled healthcare services. The State government decided to transfer all senior doctors from their existing posts in government hospitals. Strangely, it did not transfer a single office bearer of TS Government Doctors Association (TSGDA). It also ignored the transfer requests of doctors from the peripheral regions. Vital departments were left without HODs and directionless.

By September, the State government rolled back or curtailed major social initiatives specifically aimed at Mother and Child Health. The flagship initiatives of BRS government like KCR Kits, KCR Nutritional KITS and Rs 5 meal for patient attenders were curtailed.

November/December: (Outsourcing/contract health workers struggle)

Though the demand for regularization of services by 6000 ANMs in the health department has been simmering for several years, the State government has not been able to resolve the crisis. In addition to frequently holding protests, the ANMs are now threatening complete blockade of duties if their demands are not met.

The ANMs are also demanding roll back of the MPHA recruitment to be held on December 29.