In a significant stride towards universal healthcare, India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that over 34.7 crore Ayushman Bharat cards have been generated. This announcement was made during the tabling of the Economic Survey document in Parliament, a day before the Union Budget announcement. The Ayushman Bharat scheme, launched in 2018, has been instrumental in transforming the healthcare landscape of the country.
The Ayushman Bharat initiative, also known as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), is a two-pronged approach towards healthcare. It involves the establishment of Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs) and the provision of health insurance coverage for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. The HWCs are designed to provide preventive, primitive, and some curative services with standardised quality at the grassroots level, that is, the sub-centre. The strengthening of these sub-centres with manpower and supplies is a key aspect of the initiative.
The PM-JAY, on the other hand, provides health insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh per person for healthcare services. This ensures an equity-based reduction of out-of-pocket expenditure for people, a significant step towards financial protection in health.
The Finance Minister highlighted that the scheme has covered 7.37 crore hospital admissions in India, demonstrating its wide reach and impact. The Ayushman Bharat scheme has been lauded for its role in not only saving lives but also preventing families from falling into a debt trap due to medical expenses. In healthcare, Ayushman Bharat is not only saving lives but also saving generations from the debt trap, Sitharaman said. The scheme, considering its low costs, has saved more than 1.25 lakh crore of out-of-pocket expenditure for poor and deprived families.
The Finance Minister also underscored the importance of mental health, terming it as intrinsically and economically valuable. She pointed out that the lack of mental health can lead to significant productivity loss and increase healthcare costs. She also cautioned against the overuse of smartphones and the Internet, which she said are associated with the great rewiring of childhood.
The Economic Survey, prepared by the Economics Division of the Department of Economic Affairs of the Finance Ministry under the guidance of India's Chief Economic Advisor (CEA), provides a comprehensive overview of the country's economic progress and challenges. The Ayushman Bharat scheme's success, as highlighted in the survey, is a testament to the government's commitment to improving healthcare access and affordability.
In addition to the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the government has also launched several other initiatives to enhance healthcare services. For instance, the 'Aapke Dwar Ayushman 3.0' campaign was launched as part of the Ayushman Bhava campaign. An Android-based 'Ayushman App' has been launched by the National Health Authority, enabling self-verification for beneficiaries. The app uses the latest technology and provides different modes of authentication for Ayushman Card creation.
The government has also launched the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra to raise awareness about its development policies and schemes among the people. As per the data update done by the States/UTs in Ayushman Arogya Mandir Portal, till date, 55.66 crore screenings have been done for hypertension and 48.44 crore screenings done for diabetes. These initiatives, along with the Ayushman Bharat scheme, are part of the government's broader strategy to improve healthcare services and outcomes in the country.
In conclusion, the Ayushman Bharat scheme, with its dual focus on preventive and curative care, has made significant strides in improving healthcare access and affordability in India. The generation of over 34.7 crore Ayushman Bharat cards is a testament to the scheme's success and its potential to transform the healthcare landscape of the country. As the government continues to invest in healthcare, the Ayushman Bharat scheme will undoubtedly play a crucial role in achieving universal health coverage.
