Good medical treatment and facilities at affordable prices can be a huge respite for all of us. However, while the upper middle class of our country can easily afford the huge medical bills, this is not the case for the economically weaker sections. Managing the expenses for medical treatment can sometimes exhaust their entire life savings. Many of them choose to suffer the disease rather than spend money on an unaffordable treatment. However, the central government’s Ayushman Bharat Yojana, an initiative that ensures affordable medical facilities in the remotest parts of the country has come as a respite. In wake of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, The Ayushman Bharat Diwas is celebrated across the country on April 30. On this occasion, let us acquaint ourselves with a few facts about the scheme.
- Ayushman Bharat Yojana also referred to as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) or National Health Protection Scheme or even the ModiCare is a scheme sponsored by the BJP central government.
- The scheme was originally launched in 2018, under the Ayushman Bharat Mission of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
- The Ayushman Bharat programme aims at providing easily available and affordable medical facilities to the most remote parts of the country. This scheme majorly aims at the families belonging to the poor population.
- This scheme is very important since it makes interventions in the primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare systems, and attempts to cover both preventive and promotive health.
- This intervention is done with the aid of its two major health initiatives namely, Health and Wellness centres and National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS).
- Under the Health and Wellness centres initiative over 1.5 lakh existing sub-centres will bring healthcare system closer to people’s homes in the form of health and wellness centres. These centres will also aim to provide healthcare for non-communicable diseases and maternal and child health services.
- NHPS provides a defined benefit cover of Rs. five lakh per family per year. This cover will take care of almost all secondary care and most of tertiary care procedures. The benefit cover will also include pre and post-hospitalisation expenses.