The Modi government 3.0 has focused on providing accessible healthcare services within first 100 days. Among the key steps are expansion of Ayushman Bharat scheme, 75,000 new medical seats, U-WIN portal for vaccinations and customs duty exemption on cancer medication.
The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) scheme has been expanded to provide free insurance of up to Rs 5 lakh to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, benefiting 4.5 crore families and 6 crore elderly citizens. People aged above 70 years can now reap the benefits by registering themselves on the Ayushman Bharat portal, regardless of income. The scheme is set to be operational within a week, the government said on September 11.
Ayushman Bharat, introduced in 2018, is touted as a landmark health initiative designed to provide universal health coverage, particularly for rural and vulnerable populations. The programme aims to comprehensively meet health needs across primary, secondary and tertiary care levels, driven by the central government’s commitment to improving healthcare access.
According to the press release by the union health ministry, senior citizens within families already covered by AB PM-JAY will receive an additional top-up cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per year. “This top-up will be for them, and they will not have to share it with other family members under the age of 70," the source said. Also, senior citizens who are benefiting from other public health insurance schemes like the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), or Ayushman Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) already, have the option to either continue with their current scheme or opt for Ayushman Bharat.
Moreover, 75,000 new medical seats have been added, which will help make the healthcare system more effective and reduce dependence on foreign medical education.
The U-WIN portal has been launched to digitize regular vaccinations.
The National Medical Commission is preparing a National Medical Register to create a centralized repository of doctors in the country.
A special campaign has been launched to raise awareness about sickle cell disease among women, adolescents, and tribal communities.
To reduce the financial burden on people suffering from cancer, a customs duty exemption has been granted for three cancer medications.
Under the PM E-Drive scheme, electric ambulances will be provided with an expenditure of Rs 10,900 crore. As part of the Digital Healthcare, the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) now includes a ‘Scan and Share’ feature, facilitating 4 crore outpatient registrations.
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