New Delhi, Apr 21 (PTI) Providing affordable and quality healthcare to every poor person is a priority of the Central government and the two pillars of Ayushman Bharat initiative — Ayushman Arogya Mandir and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana — are results of a well-thought out process, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said on Monday.

He was chairing a session titled ‘Promoting Swasth Bharat through Ayushman Bharat PM Jan Arogya Yojana and Ayushman Arogya Mandir’ during the Civil Services Day celebrations here.

Addressing the gathering, Nadda said, “The consultations started in 2015 and zonal conferences were held in 2016. In 2016, the National Health Policy — the first such policy covering all aspects of healthcare holistically — was laid out.” Nadda said the government’s expenditure on healthcare has increased from 29 per cent in 2014 to 48 per cent today, leading to decline in out-of-pocket expenditure of the people.

He stated that screening of communicable and non-communicable diseases in Ayushman Arogya Mandir and expanding the package of services there have helped in providing preventive and promotive healthcare and addressing the growing concern of lifestyle diseases.

“Health facilities are being encouraged to undertake self-assessment under the Indian Public Health Standards 2022 and National Quality Assurance Standards,” he said.

The minister also highlighted the need for enhancing capacity of health administrators to ensure timely and effective decision-making, working on programme implementation plans, enhancing the capacity of ASHA workers and community health workers, strengthening and institutionalising the hub-and-spoke model of digital health intervention and monitoring and assessment of health impacts.

Nadda said the narrative of less funding in health sector will end soon.

He said while the Central government is providing its share of funding, there is lack of absorption in the states.

Nadda also urged the young officers to hold an impact survey of the benefits accrued from the health ministry’s programmes at the ground level.

He concluded by stating that while there has been a tremendous progress in healthcare in the last 10 years, the government is committed towards providing affordable, accessible, equitable and quality healthcare for all.

Speaking on the occasion, NITI Ayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul said the underlying motivation behind today’s paradigm for health is achieving the goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), that is to ensure that every citizen has access to quality healthcare without financial hardship.

He said the health coverage today not only entails curative treatment but also promotive, preventive, palliative, rehabilitative and therapeutic care.

“The two pillars of Ayushman Bharat initiative — Ayushman Arogya Mandir and Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana — encompass the philosophy of Universal Health Coverage and also builds the pathway to achieve it,” Dr Paul said.

He added that “as many as 90 per cent of essential interventions for Universal Health Coverage can be delivered through primary healthcare systems” and “an estimated 75 per cent of projected health gains under the Sustainable Development Goals can be achieved through primary healthcare system”.

Dr Paul highlighted that countries with strong primary healthcare have higher life expectancy, better health outcomes, lower medication use and overall lower medical costs. “Because of this, the National Health Policy attaches prime importance to this and commits two-third of financial resources to primary healthcare system,” he said, highlighting hospitalisation rates in India has increased by 40 per cent due to Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.

“The out-of-pocket expenditure has decreased from 64 per cent in 2013-14 to 39.4 per cent in 2021-22”, he stated.

Stating that these figures highlight that the two pillars of Ayushman Bharat are serving their purpose, he urged the different ministries and departments of the Union government to work in coordination to achieve health goals. PTI PLB RUK RUK