Government to launch Ayushman Bhava

New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry is planning to launch 'Ayushman Bhava' 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 said.

"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," the sources 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 Yojana (PMJAY) health insurance scheme cards and their distribution and generating Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA) numbers, they said.

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.