Lucknow, Sep 23 (UNI) On the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, various programs were organized across the state today as Ayushman Bharat Day to mark the completion of seven years of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY).
Under this initiative, special camps were organized in every district of the state, where Ayushman cards were also made. It is worth noting that the scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 23, 2018. It has now become the world’s largest universal health protection scheme.
The scheme aims to provide free and quality healthcare to poor, disadvantaged, and needy families, and Uttar Pradesh has achieved historic success in this regard.
Sanchi CEO Archana Verma stated that Uttar Pradesh has achieved a significant milestone in the Ayushman Bharat scheme. So far, 53.8 million of the 90 million targeted beneficiaries have been issued Ayushman cards in the state, placing Uttar Pradesh first in the country. 87 percent of eligible families in the state have at least one member with an Ayushman card, demonstrating the effective implementation of the scheme.
Following the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011, several important categories of beneficiaries have been included in the scheme. These include Kumbh workers, beneficiaries of the Chief Minister’s Jan Arogya Abhiyan, NFSA data, STPHH, accredited journalists, Asha workers, Anganwadi workers and helpers, construction workers (BOCW), Antyodaya card holders,
Extremely Backward Tribes (PVTG), and senior citizens aged 70 years and above. Yogi Adityanath is continuously striving to expand the scheme further.
Chief Minister recently announced that teachers in the state will also benefit from the scheme. Thus, the scheme is moving towards universal coverage, with the aim of ensuring that every eligible beneficiary in the state can avail the benefits.
The CEO informed that so far, 74.40 lakh beneficiaries in the state have been provided free treatment at hospitals listed under the scheme. A total of Rs 12,283 crore has been spent on this.
To ensure easy access to treatment services, a total of 6,099 hospitals, including 2,921 government and 3,088 private hospitals, have been empanelled in the state, the highest number in the country.
So far, Rs 4,200 crore has been spent on tertiary care services under the scheme, including cancer, cardiology, orthopedics, organ transplantation, pediatric cancer, plastic surgery, and other specialized treatments. Over seven years, Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana has proven that it not only provides access to quality healthcare to the poor and underprivileged, but also provides a strong and decisive step towards universal health coverage for India.
The scheme is expected to expand to more families and fulfill its objectives.
