"Holistic health policy": Union Minister JP Nadda lauds Ayushman Bharat scheme

Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) [India], August 26 (ANI): Union Minister JP Nadda lauded the Ayushman Bharat Scheme while addressing a gathering in Jabalpur terming it as a "holistic" health policy.
The Union Minister on Monday said that the government has emphasised making the Ayushman Bharat scheme a "preventive, promotive and curative" healthcare solution.
"A new health policy has been formulated under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, which is a holistic health policy. In this health policy, we have emphasised for the first time that it should include preventive, promotive and curative healthcare. Our concern should be that a person should not fall ill in the first place," Nadda.
Nadda and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav jointly launched several public welfare initiatives yesterday aiming to strengthen health services in Madhya Pradesh at a program organised in Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Cultural Information Centre, Jabalpur.
According to an official statement, Nadda and Chief Minster Yadav virtually inaugurated the newly constructed Government Medical Colleges in Sheopur and Singrauli districts, and agreements were signed with private investors to establish new government medical colleges in Betul, Panna, Dhar, and Katni under the PPP model in their presence on the occasion.
The distribution of 'Vay Vandana Cards' for 8 lakh senior citizens, symbolically handing over PVC cards to five elderly beneficiaries from the stage was also held yesterday.
They also launched the 'Ayushman Sakhi' Smart Chatbot, the ASHA Dialogue program, released maternal nutrition awareness materials, and inaugurated the Mother-Child Safety Card. Under the state government's "Healthy Liver Mission", liver screening of 1 crore people has been successfully completed, the statement said.
Nadda also handed over the Letter of Permission for admission of 100 MBBS seats each at newly inaugurated medical colleges, enabling their immediate functioning.
The Union Minister stated that India's new health policy shifts its focus from curative care (treatment after falling ill) to preventive and promotive healthcare.
"We are writing a new story of growth and expansion in the total healthcare sector," he said, adding that India has become the first country in the world to provide annual health coverage of Rs 5 lakh to the majority of its population under the Ayushman Bharat-Niramayam Yojana. (ANI)