E-Paper
‘Misleading’: Centre rejects claims of National Health Accounts ‘inaccuracies’
The government said such criticism is based on ‘flawed juxtaposition’ and ‘selective picking’ of data to further spacious argument. It added that formulations like ‘seems problematic/seems unlikely’ as the basis of a claim is nothing if not hypothetical disagreement.
The Narendra Modi government on Friday termed a news report claiming inaccuracies in National Health Accounts (NHA) and a reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure as misleading an incorrect.
In a statement, the Centre stated that the NHA provides detailed information on the expenditure incurred within the health sector, which is crucial as it not only a reflection of the health system in the country but also enable the government to monitor the progress in different health financing indictors.
Reiterating that the NHA estimates of 2018-19 showing substantial reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure reaffirmed the government's commitment towards easing the citizens' financial burden, the Centre denied the findings of the news report published in news website Economic and Political Weekly.
“The main source of information for OOPE was based on NSO data of 2017-18 whereas the previous estimates were based on 2014. Both the surveys of the 71st and 75th rounds use the same sampling design for the selection of households so that it ensures comparability of both the rounds”, the government said.
The government said such criticism is based on ‘flawed juxtaposition’ and ‘selective picking’ of data to further spacious argument. It added that formulations like ‘seems problematic/seems unlikely’ as the basis of a claim is nothing if not hypothetical disagreement.
The Centre pointed out that the increase in the utilisation of government health facilities had been an important aspect of NSO 2017-18, and stated that the EPW study also observed a decline in the OOPE in that year.
“Some experts have also questioned the dip in hospitalisation rates, claiming to have found “no logical explanation” for the same. What they have failed to observe or acknowledge is the global shift from inpatient care to outpatient care, with many countries specifically designing polices to incentivise this shift”, the government said.
The ongoing criticism of NHA 2018-19, hence, is a typical prima facie example of ignoring facts and sound reason and leaving the mantle of justification to the others", it added.
