Surgical treatment for spinal deformities in children now covered under Ayushman Bharat scheme in Karnataka

The Karnataka Health Department has now included surgical treatment for spinal deformities such as scoliosis, kyphosis, and lordosis under the Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka (AB-ArK) health scheme.

Mostly found in children and teens, these deformities have a huge negative impact on their daily activities and quality of life. These deformities refer to abnormal curvatures of the spine. While scoliosis involves a sideways curvature, kyphosis is an excessive rounding of the upper back (creating a hump), and lordosis is an exaggerated inward curve in the lower back, often called “swayback”. 

Spinal deformities can be caused by genetic factors, developmental issues, injuries, poor posture, neuromuscular conditions, or degenerative diseases. Depending on the severity, symptoms may include back pain, difficulty in breathing, uneven shoulders, noticeable curvature, and postural imbalances.

Government Order

A Government Order on including surgical treatment for these deformities in the health scheme on February 21 stated they will be covered under an “unspecified surgical package”. Aimed at providing universal health coverage to the people of the State, the AB-ArK is being implemented by the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust, the State’s nodal agency. Currently, 1,650 procedures are covered under the scheme. The decision follows the Finance Department’s approval of the Health Department’s proposal.

While the Health Department has fixed a rate of ₹1.5 lakh for each surgery of spinal deformity correction under the supervision of a committee of expert doctors, the approval of the competent authority is a must for availing of this package.

Dental officers 

With the State government approving the Health Department’s proposal to fill eight vacant posts of dental officers on a contract basis in State-run healthcare facilities excluding district hospitals, dental treatment in these facilities will now be covered under the AB-ArK.

According to a Government Order issued in this regard, Harsh Gupta, Principal Secretary (Health), has said that eight dental officers will be appointed on a contract basis in various places.

While approval of the competent authority should be obtained for including appropriate dental treatment procedures and their rates under the AB-ArK, the GO stated that action should be taken to relieve the dental officers appointed on a contract basis if permanent specialists report in these eight hospitals.