Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first healthcare and wellness centre under Ayushman Bharat Yojna, in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur.

“The Ayushman Bharat scheme is not limited to simply providing a service, but also invokes public participation so that we can create a healthy, capable and content New India,” PM Modi said after launching the scheme.

Ayushman Bharat, also known as the National Health Protection Scheme, has twin missions — first, creating a network of health and wellness centres to deliver comprehensive primary healthcare close to the community, and second, providing insurance cover to 40 per cent of India’s population, that is most deprived, for secondary and tertiary care, including for instance, hospitalisation costs.

It aims at covering 10 crore poor and vulnerable families and provide a cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation.

The healthcare scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet on March 21 this year with budgetary support of Rs 10,500 crore.

Mr. Anjan Bose, Secretary General, NATHEALTH- expressed his views on Ayushman Bharat- National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM)

Focus on prevention and wellness under AB-NHPM will help achieving the goal of Swasth Bharat: NATHEALTH

“The government has shown its full commitment towards the early implementation of Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPS) by rolling out the first health and wellness centre(HWC) at Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh. Over the years  NATHEALTH has been emphasising on promotion of  prevention and wellness by all stakeholders to achieve the goal of Swasth Bharat. It is very promising to note that the very first HCW is well equipped to transform  primary healthcare with holistic and inclusive approach. Along with child and mother care, the centre would provide facilities for both communicable and non communicable diseases. Adding  yoga as a facility clearly indicates that we now have a robust primary healthcare ecosystem with focus on prevention and wellness.”

“Awareness,  Accessibility, Affordability and Accountability(4As)priorities for the healthcare sector. 4As are very critical for successful implementation of the scheme. It is very promising to note that the Union Health Ministry is moving ahead with collaborative spirit and is engaged with all stakeholders of the sector. Stakeholder engagement is the key to effective implementation of AB-NHPM. The government has been engaging with various segments while creating a new institutional framework to take Indian healthcare ecosystem to the next level. AB-NHPM would require strong partnerships among stakeholders and with this collaborative spirit, we should be in position to make our healthcare ecosystem robust.”