WOMEN CONSTITUTE 49% BENEFICIARIES OF AYUSHMAN BHARAT PRADHAN MANTRI JAN AAROGYA YOJANA (AB-PMJAY), SURVEY NOTES

10,000TH JAN AUSHADHI KENDRA INAUGURATED IN AIIMS DEOGHAR

64.86 CRORE AYUSHMAN BHARAT HEALTH ACCOUNTS (ABHA) CREATED UNDER AYUSHMAN BHARAT DIGITAL MISSION

A sound healthcare system interconnected with long-term factors responsible for inclusive growth is vital for a resilient economy, underscores the Economic Survey 2023-24 tabled by the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament today.

Aligned with the Government’s commitment to ensuring sound health and well-being of all ages through a preventive and promotive healthcare orientation in all developmental policies and universal access to good quality healthcare services, the Survey highlights key initiatives and schemes of the Government to ensure ‘Quality Healthcare for All’.

• Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY):  Aimed at providing health insurance cover of ₹5 lakh/ year for underprivileged families for secondary and tertiary hospitalization, as of 8th July 2024, 34.73 crore Ayushman Bharat cards have been generated and 7.37 crore hospital admissions have been covered by the scheme. Notably, 49% of the beneficiaries of this scheme are women.
• PM Jan Aushadhi Kendras: This scheme aims to provide quality medicines at 50-90 per cent cheaper than market rates. Under the scheme, 10,000th Jan Aushadhi Kendra was inaugurated in AIIMS Deoghar last year. 1965 medicines & 293 surgical equipments are available at the kendras.
• AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment): More than 300 Amrit pharmacies are operating in different States/UTs. These aim to provide subsidized medicines for critical illnesses.
• Ayushman Bhav Campaign: Launched in September 2023, this campaign aims to saturate selected healthcare services in every village/town across the country and inform citizens about the Government’s flagship schemes. Commendable milestones achieved during the campaign are:
  • 16.96 lakh wellness, yoga, and meditation sessions; 1.89 crore Tele consultations held
  • Free drugs availed by 11.64 crore people and free diagnostics services availed by 9.28 crore people
  • Ante-natal check-up (ANC) and Immunization availed by 82.10 lakh mothers and 90.15 lakh children
  • Seven types of screening (TB, Hypertension, diabetes, Oral Cancer, Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer and Cataract) availed by 34.39 crore people.
  • 2.0 crore patients consulted general OPD, while 90.69 lakh patients consulted specialist OPD, and 65,094 major surgeries and 1,96,156 minor surgeries were conducted.
  • 13.48 crore ABHA accounts were created, 9.50 crore Ayushman cards were generated, and 1.20 lakh Ayushman Sabhas organized.
  • Cumulative footfall of 20.66 crore in 25.25 lakh health melas (as of 31 March 2024)

• Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM): Launched in 2021, the Scheme aims to create a national digital health ecosystem across the country. Under this scheme, 64.86 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA) have been created, 3.06 lakh Health Facility Registries generated, 4.06 lakh healthcare professionals registered, and 39.77 crore health records linked with ABHA.
• eSanjeevani:  Launched in 2019, this scheme for telemedicine for virtual doctor consultations in remote areas has served 26.62 crore patients across 128 specialties at 1.25 lakh Health & Wellness Centres, now known as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (as Spokes) through 15,857 hubs, as of 9th July 2024.

Universal access to quality healthcare expanded through insurance, affordable medicines, outreach and interoperable digital health services. The Economic Survey 2023 24 promotes universal access to quality healthcare by expanding health insurance via Ayushman Bharat PMJAY, increasing availability of affordable medicines through Jan Aushadhi and AMRIT, and scaling outreach under Ayushman Bhav; simultaneously it advances interoperable digital health infrastructure through the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and telemedicine services to integrate primary, secondary and tertiary care.