Page 21 - NIS English 16-30 September, 2025

Health | COVER STORY

A strong health infrastructure in any country is 11 years. The Ayushman Bharat scheme
not only important for citizen welfare but also was launched in 2018 to give security
contributes to economic progress and social stability. cover to poor families from the heavy

With this thought, many such initiatives were taken cost of treatment. Today, this scheme is
benefiting about 41 crore people. It em-
in the past 11 years, which laid the foundation of a phasizes insurance, disease prevention,
new revolution in the health sector in India… and digital technology, which have pro-
vided affordable and easy treatment to
needy people. From the very beginning,
the Ayushman Bharat scheme was aimed
PM Ayushman Bharat at addressing two major problems - the
Maternal health schemes
Health Infra Mission lack of good healthcare in villages and the
Foundation of survival Taking lessons from COVID-19, high cost of treatment for poor families.
and a strong future PM Modi launched the Before 2018, people living in villages

Maternal mortality has been a country’s biggest initiative on often faced these difficulties. To solve this
public health issue in India for 25 October 2021 to transform problem, the government launched the
a long time. Many important the basic health infrastructure. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-
efforts have been made in this It was named Pradhan Mantri- JAY), under which every family can get
direction. Under the Janani Ayushman Bharat Health free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh every year.
Shishu Suraksha Karyakram, Infrastructure Mission. This
more than 16.60 crore transformative initiative aims In just seven years, the number of people
beneficiaries have been served to build a strong health system getting Ayushman cards has exceeded 41
since 2014-15 to promote at the primary, secondary, and crores. It is not just an Ayushman card; it
free institutional delivery and tertiary levels by the year 2025-26 is a life cover for the poor.
newborn care. At the same with a total outlay of Rs 64,180
time, institutional delivery crore, so that epidemics, public OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENDITURE
has been encouraged through health emergencies, and disasters ON TREATMENT BY CITIZENS
conditional cash transfer in can be dealt with effectively in the
the Janani Suraksha Yojana, present as well as in the future. HAS REDUCED
in which more than 11.07 Day Care Cancer The biggest reason for the achievements
crore women have benefited in the health sector is that people no
by March 2025. On the other Centers in Hospitals longer have to spend as much out of
hand, Surakshit Matritva According to a study by the their pockets on treatment as before.
Aashwashan (SUMAN) has Indian Council of Medical
strengthened respectful and Research (ICMR), the number In 2014, when the Ayushman Bharat
quality care for pregnant of cancer patients in India will scheme was not launched, people used
women, under which 90,015 increase by 13% by the end of to bear about 62% of their treatment
SUMAN health facilities have 2025 as compared to 2020. This expenses themselves. Now it has come
been notified across India by is the reason why the central down to just 38%. People across the
March 2025. government has decided to set up country have saved more than Rs 1.25
200 cancer centers in the country lakh crore with the help of Pradhan
Pradhan in 2025-26. Apart from this, the Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. Along with this,
Mantri Matru government is planning to set up
Vandana Yojana: Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCC) people have saved more than Rs 38,000
in all district hospitals in the next
₹5,000 benefit 3 years. 36 life-saving medicines crore by purchasing cheap medicines
on first delivery, have been completely exempted from Jan Aushadhi Kendras. Under the
₹6,000 on from basic customs duty so that “Ayushman Arogya Mandir” initiative,
second delivery affordable medicines are available about 2 lakh wellness centers have been
of a girl. to patients. opened. These centers screen people

September 16-30, 2025 || NEW INDIA SAMACHAR 19