Dr. R. Lalthangliana
Hon’ble Health Minister
Officials, invitees, dear friends
Today is an important occasion as our Nation launches the Ayushman Bhava Campaign.
The aim of Ayushman Bhava is to build momentum for enhanced awareness about various health care schemes and to saturate critical health care services in every village. This is in line with the National Health Policy 2017’s goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and the principle of ‘Antyodaya’.
The objective is to reach the last mile and enable access to health care services to every village through this campaign.
This is extremely important as more than 65% of the country’s population reside in the rural areas.
Ayushman Bhava campaign includes major components:
1. Ayushman Aapke Dwar 3.0 – Creation and Distribution of Ayushman card to all remaining eligible beneficiaries
2. Ayushman Mela – Health Melas at Health & Wellness Centres and Medical Camps by Medical Colleges at Community Health Centres
3. Ayushman Sabhas – at village levels
A crucial issue in our country’s health scenario is the rising burden of Non- Communicable Diseases (NCD).
63% of deaths in the country are due to NCDs.
There is a rising threat of respiratory diseases like Tuberculosis (TB), where India accounts for 26% of the global TB burden.
The need of the hour is to converge available healthcare initiatives and programs at the grassroot level. This requires prompt collaboration from Panchayats and village bodies. Activities such as ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) ID generation, Ayushman Card generation and maximized screening for NCDs and TB would be the areas for immediate action.
In Mizoram, 64.4% of active TB cases are endemic within Aizawl district. The rest are spread across the other districts. The TB Mukt Panchayat Initiative launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister aims to empower the Panchayats to realize the magnitude of the problems associated with TB, and to solve them.
Village leaders and local bodies must take the lead as we aim to eliminate TB by 2025.
Also, the PM TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan was launched last year, under which citizens and organizations were encouraged to adopt TB patients through the Nikshay Mitra campaign. Anyone can become a noble Nikshay Mitra by donating a relatively small sum of money to provide nutrition to TB patients.
I had already written to all the elected representatives, NGOs, churches, political parties, educational and financial institutions in this regard.
Once again, I make an earnest appeal to all the people of Mizoram to become play an active role in our TB elimination campaign by becoming Nikshay Mitras.
I have been told as per the latest figures, 63.3% of all eligible beneficiaries have been registered under PMJAY.
The village and local bodies must be incorporated in awareness generation and utilization of health care schemes to achieve 100% saturation for all eligible families. Here, I must repeat that the people of Mizoram are not aware of so many Central Government Schemes in general.
It is my sincere desire that the intended beneficiaries avail these health care schemes, as well as many other beneficial social security schemes such as PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, PM Suraksha Bima Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana, and many more.
I have learnt that under this Ayushman Bhava Campaign, any village or municipal ward, after achieving certain defined parameters, is to be certified as ‘Ayushman Gram Panchayat’ or ‘Ayushman Urban Ward’.
These parameters include 100% coverage of Ayushman Card, ABHA ID, screening for Hypertension & Diabetes, screening for TB, screening for Sickle Cell Disease or a disease endemic in the locality.
I urge every village and municipal ward in the State to take all possible actions to gain these prestigious certifications as Ayushman Panchayats and Ayushman Urban Wards.
In conclusion, I congratulate the Health Department for successfully organizing today’s program.
At the same time, I urge the Health Department officials to take the lead for the success of this Ayushman Bhava Campaign in our State.
Thank you.
Jai Hind.
