UN, WHO, World Bank praise work done under Ayushman Bharat, says Vardhan

NEW DELHI: As the Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) steps into its second year after the successful completion of its first year, the programme has received commendation from the United Nations (UN), World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank.

While speaking to reporters at Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC), Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that the work done under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship healthcare scheme Ayushman Bharat in the past one-year has received commendations from the global agencies.

“The Ayushman Bharat is the biggest health insurance scheme that has brought smiles on the faces of lakhs of people in the country. People are thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji for this blessing. I am glad to inform that Ayushman Bharat scheme has been appreciated by the UN, WHO and World Bank,” Vardhan said.

The Union Health Minister noted that more than 47 lakh people have received benefits worth Rs 7,500 crores in the past 12 months, and approximately 60 per cent of this amount has been spent on tertiary-care. “Over 10 crore e-cards have been generated and about 18,000 hospitals have been empanelled under AB-PMJAY. Out of the total hospitals empanelled, 53 per cent are private, especially multi-speciality. There are 9 hospital admissions every minute across India,” he said.

As of today, the scheme has been implemented in 32 states and Union Territories.

A unique feature of ABPMJAY is its portability, which has helped at least 42,631 eligible poor and migrant workers to seek treatment outside their states, Vardhan said, adding that a beneficiary can avail its benefits in any part of the country and to avail the scheme, the beneficiary would need to have his Ayushman identity.

AB-PMJAY is the flagship scheme of the government that provides a cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year, for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to over 10.74 crore vulnerable entitled families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries).

“The website and call centre with toll-free helpline no 14555 have significantly helped in guiding patients to seek healthcare as well as to send their feedback and grievances for timely redressal. On average, three calls are being answered every minute at the call centre”, Vardhan said.

Last year on September 23, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched PM-JAY from Ranchi, Jharkhand.