New Delhi: India’s healthcare sector has achieved more in the last nine years of the Narendra Modi government than in the preceding 70 years, Union minister Arjun Munda said on Wednesday (December 20). During a press conference, the tribal affairs minister said that holistic healthcare, with a special focus on tribals, has been placed among the top priorities of the government. He said,
We have witnessed an unprecedented revolution in the field of health. Today, health is being linked with development for the first time in the country. In fact, there’s a widespread sentiment of ‘Healthy Nation, Wealthy Nation’ created in the country.
“The healthcare sector in the country has achieved more in the last 9 years than in the preceding 70 years,” he said.
Tribal health is one of the key focus areas under PM JANMAN, Mr Munda added.
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He highlighted that the five-year-old Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is providing health security to the poorest individuals in the country. He added,
This is the world’s largest government-funded healthcare program, targeting over 55 crore beneficiaries, aiming to provide insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh per annum.
PM Modi launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA) Elimination Programme on July 1 to address health challenges posed by the disease, especially among the tribal population.
The mission aims to screen over 8 crore tribals for SCA. Data for 90 lakh people have already been collected, he said.
Highlighting the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN), Mr Munda said that it aims for 360-degree development in tribal areas.
The PM JANMAN Mission targets the development of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) neglected by various ministries’ schemes, with a financial outlay of around Rs. 24,000 crore, focusing on 11 critical interventions related to nine key ministries.
The minister said that the number of AIIMS in the country has increased from 8 to 23, with 20 being fully functional.
Also Read: This Doctor Is Serving The Tribals Of Wayanad In Kerala For Over Four Decades
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
