NEW DELHI, Sept 13: Optimum delivery of health schemes to every intended beneficiary, including those in the last mile, will lead to achieving the goal of universal health coverage, President Droupadi Murmu said on Wednesday.
Launching the Ayushman Bhava campaign, she said it is a comprehensive nationwide healthcare initiative that aims to provide saturation coverage of health services in every village and town in the country.
Murmu, who also virtually launched the Ayushman Bhava portal from the Raj Bhavan in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar, said these initiatives mark a “significant leap” towards ensuring healthcare for all as they strive to further consolidate the accessibility and affordability of healthcare services, particularly for the underserved.
“I have been told that multi-ministerial approach is being taken to implement the programme. To achieve such a ambitious target everyone’s cooperation is critical,” she said.
“No person should be left behind and no village should be left behind i.E. 100 per cent people can avail health services. This goal will make our country successful in achieving the objective of Universal health coverage in true sense,” she said.
The prime minister has given central importance to Mahatma Gandhi’s idea of Antyodaya in his activities. This campaign to provide health services to the last person in the last village is inspired by the ideal of Antyodaya, the president said.
She noted that during the G20 Summit, member nations put forth a clear roadmap for the G20 2023 action plan for accelerating progress on the sustainable development goals.
“The government of India has set localised sustainable development goals in order to achieve the UN’s SDG 2030. Under this, a major focus is on development works at the rural level,” she said.
Village panchayats that successfully saturate the health schemes will earn the prestigious title of Ayushman Gram Panchayat or Ayushman Urban Ward, symbolising their dedication to equitable healthcare provision, she said.
The campaign, which was launched on Tuesday, will be implemented during the Seva Pakhwada starting from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17 and continue till October 2.
“Everyone knows that Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna is the world’s largest health insurance scheme in the world. Big thinking and big achievements are now India’s identity.
India’s digital economy especially is being praised. India connecting people from across India including small villages to the digital economy has become an example in the world,” Murmu said. Referring to the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission which was launched in September 2021, she said she believes that like in other areas, India will present the ideal in digital inclusion even in healthcare services. (PTI)
Indian can achieve anything and that was proved in the country’s fight against Covid, the president said.
Due to the patience and courage of Indians, the extraordinary capabilities of the scientists, the deviation of the doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers and the successful leadership India not only freed its huge population from the clutches of the major disaster but also helped other countries, she said.
Implementing the largest vaccination drive in the history of the world is an example of India’s self reliance and expertise, she added.
The president also applauded the goals of Ayushman Bhav to further facilitate access of Ayushman cards, generate ABHA IDs, and raise awareness about vital health schemes and disease conditions, such as non-communicable diseases, tuberculosis, and sickle cell disease.
Adding further, she said the health services through the three components of Ayushman Bhava – Ayushman – Apke Dwar 3.0, Ayushman melas at health and wellness centres and community health clinics and Ayushman Sabhas in every village and panchayat will substantially expedite the access of healthcare services at grass-root level thereby ensuring building of a healthy nation.
The campaign is a collaborative effort spearheaded by gram panchayats in coordination with the department of health, other government departments, and local elected bodies in rural and urban areas, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.
“Its core objective is to extend comprehensive healthcare coverage to every village and town, transcending geographical barriers and ensuring that no one is left behind,” he said.
The Ayushman Bhava campaign is aligned with the vision of creating ‘healthy villages’ and ‘healthy gram panchayats’, laying the foundation for achieving universal health coverage in the country.
With the Ayushman Bhava initiative, India is going to write a new chapter in making healthcare affordable and accessible. Under Ayushman Bhava, health melas and medical camps are an important component which will be set up once a week at all health and wellness centres and community health clinics, Mandaviya said.
“Besides the launch of Ayushman Bhava initiative, organ donation and blood donation pledge campaigns will also be organized from September 17 till October 2 which are noble initiatives that should be taken up by every individual,” he said.
“Today, around one lakh Ni-kshay mitras are taking care of the 10 lakh TB patients who had given their consent for this initiative. This has taken us closer to the prime minister’s goal of ending TB by 2025,” he added.
Mandaviya praised the impact of healthcare services stating, “In the last 9 years, there has been a significant transformation in the healthcare landscape of the country which was also appreciated by the visiting dignitaries at the G20 summit.” (PTI)
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