Over 5.1 Crore Attended Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra Health Camps So Far: Government

New Delhi: Under the ongoing Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, the cumulative footfall has surpassed 5.1 crore at 1,99,199 health camps conducted in Gram Panchayats and urban local bodies, till date, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday (January 19). Till date, 48,96,774 physical cards have been distributed under the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) flagship scheme of the health ministry. Under the scheme for the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, Ayushman cards are being created using the Ayushman app and physical cards are being distributed to the beneficiaries.

Also Read: All Districts Will Be Converted Into ‘Ayushman’ Districts: Union Health Minister

A total of 4,51,492 Ayushman cards were created at the health camps held on Thursday. Cumulatively, 2,61,11,405 (2.61 crore) such cards have been created till date.

By the end of day 65, more than 2,62,05,700 (2.62 crore) people have been screened out of which more than 9,93,800 were referred to higher public health facilities.

Screening of patients for TB is carried out by screening for symptoms, sputum testing, and using NAAT machines wherever available. Cases suspected to have TB are referred to higher facilities.

Under Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (PMTBMBA), consent is being taken for patients suffering from TB for receiving assistance from Nikshay Mitras. Attendees willing to be Nikshay Mitras are also being provided on-spot registration. More than 3,62,700 patients have given consent under PMTBMBA and over 99,100 new Nikshay Mitras were registered.

Under the Nikshay Poshan Yojana (NPY), monetary assistance is provided to TB patients through Direct Benefit Transfer. For this purpose, details of bank account of the pending beneficiaries are being collected and accounts are being Aadhaar seeded. Details of 69,300 such beneficiaries have been collected.

Besides, more than 31,34,600 people have been screened so far, out of which 60,900 were found to be positive for sickle cell disease and referred to higher public health facilities, the ministry stated.

Also Read: What Are The Interventions India Needs To Achieve Its Mission Of Eliminating Sickle Cell Anaemia By 2047?

In areas with predominant tribal population, screening of eligible population (up to 40 years of age) is being done for the detection of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) through the Point of Care (PoC) tests for SCD or through Solubility Test. Cases testing positive are being referred to higher centres for management.

Screening of eligible population (30 years and above) is being done for hypertension and diabetes and cases suspected to be positive are being referred to higher centres. Around 4,25,76,600 (4.25 crore) people have been screened for hypertension and diabetes.

More than 16,44,900 people were suspected to be positive for hypertension and more than 11,74,700 were suspected to have diabetes and over 25,50,700 people were referred to higher public health facilities.

The Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 15 from Khunti, Jharkhand to saturate the benefits of central government schemes across the nation.

As a part of on-spot services under the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, health camps are being organized at the places of halt of the Information Education Communication (IEC) van in the Gram Panchayats.

Also Read: India’s Push Towards Attaining The Goal Of ‘Health For All’

(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.