Ayushman Bhava campaign will help achieve universal health coverage: President Murmu

Optimum delivery of health schemes to every intended beneficiary, including those in the last mile, will lead to achieving the goal of universal health coverage, President Droupadi Murmu said on Wednesday.

Launching the Ayushman Bhava campaign, she said it is a comprehensive nationwide healthcare initiative that aims to provide saturation coverage of health services in every village and town in the country.

Murmu, who also virtually launched the Ayushman Bhava portal from the Raj Bhavan in Gujarat's Gandhinagar, said these initiatives mark a "significant leap" towards ensuring healthcare for all as they strive to further consolidate the accessibility and affordability of healthcare services, particularly for the underserved.

"I have been told that a multi-ministerial approach is being taken to implement the programme. To achieve such an ambitious target, everyone's cooperation is critical," she said.

"No person should be left behind, and no village should be left behind, i.e., 100% people can avail health services. This goal will make our country successful in achieving the objective of universal health coverage in true sense," she said.

The prime minister has given central importance to Mahatma Gandhi's idea of Antyodaya in his activities. This campaign to provide health services to the last person in the last village is inspired by the ideal of Antyodaya, the president said.

She noted that during the G20 Summit, member nations put forth a clear roadmap for the G20 2023 action plan for accelerating progress on the sustainable development goals.

"The Government of India has set localised sustainable development goals in order to achieve the UN's SDG 2030. Under this, a major focus is on development works at the rural level," she said.

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Village panchayats that successfully saturate the health schemes will earn the prestigious title of Ayushman Gram Panchayat or Ayushman Urban Ward, symbolising their dedication to equitable healthcare provision, she said.

The campaign, which was launched on Tuesday, will be implemented during the Seva Pakhwada starting from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday on September 17 and continue till October 2.

"Everyone knows that Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna is the world's largest health insurance scheme in the world. Big thinking and big achievements are now India's identity."

India's digital economy especially is being praised. India connecting people from across India including small villages to the digital economy has become an example in the world," Murmu said.

Referring to the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission which was launched in September 2021, she said she believes that like in other areas, India will present the ideal in digital inclusion even in healthcare services.