Port Blair, Sept 23: Ayushman Bharat Diwas was observed in the Islands today along with the rest of the country, to mark the completion of one year since the launch of this ambitious program by the Prime Minister today. Ayushman Bharat was conceived and launched by the Govt. of India to achieve the goal of National Health Policy 2017, which aims at attainment of the highest possible level of health and wellbeing for all at all ages, through a preventive and promotive health care orientation in all developmental policies and universal access to good quality healthcare services without anyone having to face financial hardship as a consequence.The twin pillars of Ayushman Bharat are Ayushman Bharat – Health and Wellness Centres, which would provide high quality and accessible comprehensive Primary Health Care to all the citizens free of cost and Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, which provides cashless treatment for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization worth Rs. 5 lakhs per year to 50 crore Indians, belonging to poor and vulnerable families.
The Govt. of India aims to set up 1.5 lakh Ayushman-Bharat Health and Wellness Centres by the year 2022. In A&N Islands, 30 health institutions were upgraded as Health and Wellness Centres during the financial year 2018-19 and 20 more Health Centres were declared as Health and Wellness Centres on the occasion of Ayushman Bharat Diwas today.The Principal Secretary (Health), Shri K R Meena has informed that the Health and Wellness Centres of the Islands meet all the prescribed requirements with respect to trained manpower, diagnostics, drugs and infrastructure and would serve as a platform to deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care services, closer to the communities and bring ‘wellness’ at the forefront. The facility for Specialists consultation, Yoga services and screening for non-communicable diseases shall also be available at Health and Wellness Centres. In a function held at PHC Chouldhari today, the Secretary (Health), Ms. Kriti Garg formally inaugurated the PHC as Health and Wellness Centre. She urged the local population to adopt a healthy lifestyle and to be part of the various initiatives being taken by the government to make a healthy India. She informed that the Health Department aims to convert another 36 sub centres as Health and Wellness Centres by the end of this year. The Nodal Officer, Ayushman Bharat, Dr. P. Lal spoke about the various aspects of the scheme. He urged the gathering to check their eligibility under the scheme through the toll free number or at CSCs and G B Pant Hospital, Port Blair. He also asked the beneficiaries to get their e-card (Golden Record) generated at CSCs or G B Pant Hospital, Port Blair, which would be required to avail the benefits of the scheme in case of serious illnesses, which require referral to mainland. The Director of Health Services, Dr. S. P. Burma and the Pradhan Gram Panchayat, Chouldhari, Shri Mohan Halder also spoke on the occasion.
Ayushman Bharat e-cards (Golden Records) were distributed to 20 Ayushman Bharat beneficiary families of the area. Ms. Beena Lakra, ANM, who distributed the maximum number of Prime Minister’s letters addressed to the Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries of the area was felicitated with a memento. Saplings of medicinal plants were also planted by the dignitaries and Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries on the occasion. Earlier, the Medical Officer in charge, Dr. Supriya Roy welcomed the gathering.
