Government to launch Ayushman Bhav to help get 100% coverage of health schemes

The campaign aims to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries can avail the benefits of the health schemes, an official said.

The Union health ministry is planning to launch 'Ayushman Bhav' programme to ensure optimum delivery of all state-run health schemes to every intended beneficiary, including those in the last mile.

Ayushman Apke Dwar 3.0, Ayushman Sabha, Ayushman Mela and Ayushman Gram are some of the activities planned under the programme, official sources told PTI.

"The aim of the campaign is to ensure comprehensive and saturation coverage of all health schemes so that every eligible beneficiary is able to avail their benefits," an official source said.

Ayushman Apke Dwar 1 and 2 drives have been conducted successfully. Under the Ayushman Apke Dwar 3.0, an intensive drive will begin from August 1 to ensure full saturation, the sources said.

Ayushman Sabha will be a village-level campaign led by the village health, sanitation and nutrition committee to ensure the benefits of all the health schemes of the central and state governments reach the intended beneficiaries, they said.

These will also enhance awareness about the importance of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (PMJAY) health insurance scheme cards and their distribution and generating Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA) numbers, they said.

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The campaign will also help in making people aware about the importance of utilising screening services for non-communicable diseases (NCD) and sickle cell disease through health and wellness centres and also about communicable diseases such as elimination of tuberculosis, among others.

"These village sabhas will also help in generating awareness about reproductive and child health issues, immunisation, nutrition and anaemia. Besides, they will foster social accountability of the health systems to the community to express their issues and concerns related to the health services provided at AB-HWCs," an official source explained.

Ayushman Sabhas will be organised in each village where PMJAY cards will be distributed and information provided about PMJAY empaneled hospitals in the area and what all packages of treatments can be availed under the scheme.

The third pillar of Ayushman Bhav programme -- Ayushman Mela -- will be held at the level of Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs). As part of it, medical camps will also be organised at medical colleges at community health centre level.

"There are 705 medical colleges, both in public and private sector. So each medical college may organise around 50 medical camps annually and target at least 300-400 OPD treatments.

"All medical colleges together may be able to give treatment to at least 1.25-1.5 crore patients per every in camo mode at community health centres," the source said.

The aim of Ayushman Melas would be to build awareness on healthy behaviours and provide early diagnosis through screening, comprehensive primary health care services with drugs and diagnostics, teleconsultation with health specialists, and appropriate referrals with a special focus on marginalised people for a continuum of care.

These will also be used for routine immunisation, NCD screening, mental healthcare, elderly care services, among others.

They can be conducted on a weekly basis.

"The objective is to reach those people who are excluded from speciality health services and make available specialty medical services up to block level which have a shortage of specialist doctors," the official source elaborated.

The fourth pillar Ayushman gram is envisaged to achieve 100 per cent coverage of PMJAY card distribution, ABHA id generation, immunisation coverage, NCD screening, among others.

"Whichever village will be able to saturate all the schemes, it will be declared an Ayushman gram and also will be given a certificate," the source said.