Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi Scheme

The Delhi High Court recently took up a case related to the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) Scheme, a central sector scheme launched in 1997. 

1. The court observed that the threshold income for claiming benefits under the scheme appeared to be "extremely low".

What is Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi Scheme?

The Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) Scheme is a central sector scheme by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that provides one-time financial assistance to poor patients suffering from life threatening diseases like heart, kidney, liver, cancer etc.

1. The scheme is for patients living below the poverty line, as defined by the Planning Commission, who are seeking treatment at government hospitals, super specialty hospitals, or institutions.
2. The scheme does not cover treatment at private hospitals.

The RAN scheme comprises 3 components:

1. Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN): This component provides financial assistance for the treatment of life-threatening diseases related to heart, kidney, liver, etc., at government hospitals/institutes with Super Specialty facilities. The maximum financial assistance under this component is Rs. 15 lakhs.
2. Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF): This component offers financial assistance for cancer treatment at Regional Cancer Centres (RCCs)/Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCCs) and State Cancer Institutes (SCIs). The maximum financial assistance under this component is also Rs. 15 lakhs.
3. Financial Assistance for Poor Patients Suffering from Rare Diseases: This component provides financial assistance for the treatment of specified rare diseases at government hospitals/institutes with Super Specialty facilities. The maximum financial assistance under this component is Rs. 20 lakhs.

FAQs:

Q. What is a rare disease?

1. A rare disease is a condition that affects a small percentage of the population.
2. Rare diseases can be chronic or incurable, but many are short-term medical conditions.
3. They can be caused by bacterial or viral infections, allergies, chromosome disorders, or degenerative and proliferative causes.
4. The cause of many rare diseases is unknown, but they are often caused by changes in a person's genes or chromosomes.
5. Rare diseases are often more difficult to diagnose and treat than more common diseases.

Some examples of rare diseases include:

1. Alkaptonuria, or “black urine disease”
2. Angelman syndrome
3. Cystinosis
4. Cystic Fibrosis
5. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
6. Gaucher Disease
7. Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia (HED)
8. Leiomyosarcoma
9. Mucopolysaccharidosis type 1
10. Retinitis Pigmentosa

Must Check: Best IAS Coaching In Delhi