Eight years after its launch, Ayushman Bharat has emerged as a major pillar of India’s healthcare system, with more than 60 crore people now covered under an annual health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking the milestone, said the initiative was launched with the objective of making quality and affordable healthcare accessible to every Indian. He also highlighted the growing reach of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and their role in strengthening primary healthcare at the grassroots.
Eight years since its rollout, Ayushman Bharat has expanded its reach across the country, providing millions of families access to financial protection against major medical expenses while also strengthening healthcare services at the primary level.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while marking eight years of the initiative, said Ayushman Bharat was conceived with the objective of ensuring that every Indian could access quality healthcare at an affordable cost. According to him, the programme has since grown into the world’s largest healthcare scheme, with more than 60 crore beneficiaries covered by an annual health cover of Rs 5 lakh.
The Prime Minister highlighted the financial relief provided through the scheme, particularly for economically vulnerable families and the middle class. Medical treatment can place a substantial burden on household finances, and the health cover under Ayushman Bharat is intended to reduce the impact of such expenses on beneficiaries.
Modi also drew attention to the expansion of healthcare infrastructure beyond hospital-based treatment. He said Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have recorded more than 500 crore visits, indicating the growing emphasis on primary healthcare and services closer to people’s homes.
The Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are designed to strengthen healthcare delivery at the grassroots, bringing a wider range of essential services closer to communities. Their expanding footprint is part of the broader effort to shift attention towards preventive and primary healthcare alongside treatment.
Marking the eight-year milestone, the Prime Minister extended his wishes to beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat and reiterated the importance of accessible and affordable healthcare.
The journey of Ayushman Bharat reflects a wider transformation in India’s healthcare approach, combining financial protection for treatment with efforts to strengthen the primary healthcare network. The scale of coverage cited by the Prime Minister also underlines the programme’s reach across a large section of the population.
As the initiative enters its ninth year, its stated objective remains centred on reducing barriers to healthcare and ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent people from seeking necessary medical treatment. The continued expansion of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs further seeks to bring basic and preventive healthcare services closer to citizens, particularly at the grassroots level.
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