Part 6: Kerala KASP — The Gold Standard of Public Healthcare

Kerala consistently ranks #1 in India on health indices (infant mortality, life expectancy, maternal health). Its public healthcare system is a model for the nation.

Key Scheme: KASP (Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi)

• Coverage: ₹5 Lakh per family (converged with PM-JAY).
• Portability: Can use across India at empanelled hospitals.
• Pre-existing diseases: Covered from Day 1.

What Makes Kerala Special:

• Palliative Care: Kerala has India’s best palliative care network. Free home-based palliative care for terminal patients.
• Primary Healthcare: PHCs and CHCs are well-equipped and well-staffed. You can get quality care even at a village-level PHC.
• Mental Health: Strong district mental health programme. Active Tele-MANAS integration.
• Literacy & Awareness: 96%+ literacy means people know their rights and demand better services.

Top Government Hospitals:

• Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram — Largest govt hospital in Kerala.
• Government Medical College, Kozhikode (Calicut) — Excellent cardiology and oncology.
• Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute, Trivandrum — Central govt. India’s best for neurology and cardiac surgery.
• Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Trivandrum — One of India’s top 5 cancer centres. Free for BPL.

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Next: Part 7 — Tamil Nadu CMCHIS