Ayushman Bharat Diwas is annually observed across India on 30th April as part of Gram Swaraj Abhiyan to raise awareness about the objectives of Ayushman Bharat, a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India(GoI).
- The objective of this day is to raise awareness about the significance of maintaining good health and to inform citizens about the benefits available under the government’s free healthcare initiatives.
About Ayushman Bharat scheme:
i.Ayushman Bharat was launched as recommended by the National Health Policy 2017, to achieve the mission of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
ii.Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi launched the scheme in Ranchi, Jharkhand on 23rd September 2018.
iii.The scheme aims to revolutionize the healthcare system at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels
iv.The scheme consists of two interrelated components:
- Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs)
- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)
Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs):
i.In 2018, the Government of India announced the creation of 1,50,000 HWCs by transforming the existing Sub Centres and Primary centres.
- The aim of HWCs is to deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) bringing healthcare closer to the homes of people.
- Maternal and Child health services, non-communicable diseases, including free essential drugs and diagnostic services are covered.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY):
i.Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), fully funded by the government, was launched under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
ii.Eligible senior citizens aged 70 and above will receive health coverage, regardless of their income.
iii.Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is the largest health assurance scheme in the world, which aims at providing a health cover of Rs.5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to over 12 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 55 crore beneficiaries) that form the bottom 40% of the population.
iv.PM-JAY provides cashless access to health care services for the beneficiary at the point of service (any empaneled public or private hospital).
- It covers up to 3 days of pre-hospitalization and 15 days of post-hospitalization expenses such as diagnostics and medicines.
Note:PM-JAY was earlier known as the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) before being rechristened. It absorbed the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) which had been launched in 2008.
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission(ABDM):
i.The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) aims to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country.
ii.The four building blocks of ABDM are:
- Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) number, a 14-digit unique identifier
- ABHA Mobile Application, Personal Health Record (PHR)
- Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR)
- Health Facility Registry (HFR)
Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM):
The PM-ABHIM is a comprehensive initiative launched to strengthen the country’s public health infrastructure and enhance its capacity to manage future health emergencies.
- It seeks to fill critical gaps in health infrastructure, surveillance, and health research across both urban and rural areas, ensuring communities are self-reliant in managing health crises.
About Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW):
Union Minister – Jagat Prakash Nadda (Rajya Sabha – Gujarat)
Minister of State (MoS) – Prataprao Jadhav (Buldhana, Maharashtra), Anupriya Patel – (Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh)
