Modicare to kick off on Ambedkar anniversary

Comprehensive programme will merge Ayushman Bharat, Transformation of Aspirational Districts schemes

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a nationwide comprehensive primary healthcare (CPH) programme in Bijapur in Chhattisgarh on April 14 – Bhimrao Ambedkar’s birth anniversary. The CPH will be a merger of the central government’s two flagship programmes — Ayushman Bharat and Transformation of Aspirational Districts — NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said on Thursday.

Modi will launch India’s first wellness centre in Jaangla village, 15km from the district headquarters of Bijapur, which has been identified by the federal think tank as the fastest improving most backward (or aspirational) district from a list of 101.

The CPH and the national health insurance scheme together form the two legs of Ayushman Bharat (popularised as ‘Modicare’), which was announced in this year’s budget. The scheme will convert 1.5 lakh primary healthcare centres into wellness centres – 18,000 conversion in this financial year will begin with

Jaangla, NITI member (health) Vinod Paul said.

Primary healthcare will move from its current focus on neonatal care and communicable diseases to expand and include several other diseases and illnesses.

Wellness centres will be equipped to offer medical services in non-communicable diseases, mental health, oral health, ENT related ailments, ophthalmology, geriatrics and common diagnostics. Paul said the emphasis will be on early detection of diseases to improve the overall state of health of the population covered by the programme. These centres will be managed by mid-level service providers who are trained nurses or AYUSH doctors after being trained for six months each in running the centres.

“Doctors will be the first referral point in this system which is designed on the lines of United Kingdom’s National Health Service except that it starts at the level of the mid level service provider,” Dr Paul said.

The wellness centres will also have the facility of tele-consultation with specialists at the primary and the tertiary care level while acting as medicine disbursement centres for patients living in the area serviced by these centres, even if they are being treated by a hospital. “The wellness centres will also have facilities for screening noncommunicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension and three types of cancers: oral, breast and cervical,” Dr Manohar Agnani, joint secretary in the ministry of health and family welfare, said. NEWDELHI: The upcoming Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14 is emerging as a major challenge for the Centre, which Thursday issued its third advisory in two weeks in the wake of protests against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Centre’s advisory asking the state governments to beef up security for the Dalit icon’s birth anniversary comes alongside a workshop asking nodal officers and some ministries to ensure the occasion turns out to be a success.

The ministry of home affairs issued a statement asking the states to take measures to prevent any untoward incident. “...patrolling should be intensified in all sensitive locations to ensure that no loss of life and property takes place, and prohibitory orders may be issued wherever necessary,” it said.

This is the ministry’s third advisory within a fortnight, after it first sent a note before the April 2 ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by Dalit groups. The day was marred by violence and civilians deaths across multiple states of India

Another advisory was sent before the April 10 strike called by groups opposing caste-based reservation in jobs and education.

Its latest advisory stressed that district magistrates and superintendents of police may be asked to take all necessary steps to ensure that law and order situation remains firmly under control. The communication was issued in the wake of reports of vandalism of statues, and the violence on April 2 and April 10, it added.

“The MHA has advised them to activate community policing initiatives to ensure peace and harmony,” a ministry official said.

Representatives of various Dalit organisations Thursday demanded that the Centre bring an ordinance to restore the status quo of the SC/ST Act and include it in the Constitution’s Ninth Schedule, which provides protection to legislations under it and isn’t open to judicial scrutiny.

At a meeting in Delhi, Dalit leaders said they would observe April 14 as “Protect Constitution Day” across the country.