Ayushman Bharat

The government of India launched a healthcare initiative Ayushman Bharat scheme in September 2018. Around 1,50,000 Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) will be created under the scheme to make healthcare more accessible. Over 21,000 HWCs were granted approval and around 8,030 HWCs were operational till February 2019.¹ These centres will provide free essential drugs and diagnostic services. Comprehensive healthcare services provided at these centres cover maternal and child health services and non-communicable diseases.²

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The numbers behind the world’s largest government-funded health care programme are staggering - hospitalization covers over 100 mn poor and vulnerable families (around 500 mn beneficiaries). The scheme will provide coverage up to $7,151 per family per year for both secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. The scheme covers 1,350 medical packages which include surgery, medical, and daycare treatments. It also includes the cost of medicine, diagnostics, and transport.¹

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To increase the availability of qualifies doctors, 24 additional medical colleges were approved to be established. This is in addition to 58 new medical colleges announced earlier by the Union Government. Setting up of 112 Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery (ANM) schools and 136 General Nursing Midwifery (GNM) schools in under-served areas is expected to be completed by 2019-2020.¹

Source 1