Gujarat/Srinagar, Sep 13: In a momentous event, President of India, Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated the ‘Ayushman Bhav’ Campaign and unveiled the ‘Ayushman Bhav’ portal. The virtual launch ceremony saw the participation of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha from Raj Bhawan.
The J&K Administration hosted a UT-level program following the inauguration, where the Lt. Governor expressed deep appreciation to the Hon’ble President for spearheading this nationwide campaign aimed at providing critical healthcare services to every village.
He emphasized that the guidance of the President will serve as a driving force for all stakeholders to attain the noble goal of Health for All.
The ‘Ayushman Bhav’ campaign comprises three key components: Ayushman Apke Dwar, Ayushman Melas at Health & Wellness Centres, Community Health Centres, and Ayushman Sabhas. These components are designed to raise awareness and ensure the saturation of health schemes in both urban and rural areas.
During the programme, the Lt. Governor lauded the remarkable progress achieved by India in the healthcare sector in recent years. Despite facing challenges such as the Covid pandemic, conflicts, and climate change, India has reached numerous milestones in providing healthcare services to all its citizens. This progress is also evident in the transformation occurring within the healthcare sector of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Lt. Governor stressed that the foremost duty is the health of the common man and that investing in health for all is invaluable. The Administration is earnestly working to make accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare available to every citizen. Robust public health infrastructure and universal health insurance coverage have been developed in J&K, along with the implementation of digital health services, which have improved the public health delivery system.
The utilization of modern technology has had a positive impact on diagnosis, treatment, and patient monitoring systems, the Lt. Governor noted.
He urged health officials and all stakeholders to actively participate in the Ayushman Bhav Campaign and the upcoming Seva Pakhwada. He also called for the convergence of the campaign with the celebration of Gandhi Jayanti to promote the values of selfless service, especially to the needy, poor, and marginalized sections of society. Additionally, the Lt. Governor encouraged the Swachhta Abhiyan (Cleanliness Campaign) to be carried out at Health Facilities across the UT.
During the event, the Lt. Governor recognized Shopian, Pulwama, Ganderbal, Anantnag, Kathua, and Pulwama as the best-performing districts in various categories related to the Ayushman Bhav campaign. He also honored Aarafah Food and Spices for their support in adopting TB patients. Nutrition Kits were distributed to TB patients, and community leaders were urged to register themselves as Ni-Kshay Mitras.
The launch of the Ayushman Bhav campaign saw numerous events at various levels across the Union Territory, connecting more than 1.22 lakh people, including ULB & PRI members from J&K.
Ayushman Apke Dwar 3.0, part of the campaign, aims to provide Ayushman cards to remaining eligible beneficiaries enrolled under the PM-JAY scheme, ensuring that more individuals have access to essential health services. Ayushman Melas at HWCs and CHCs will facilitate the creation of ABHA IDs (Health IDs) and issuance of Ayushman Bharat Cards. These events will offer early diagnosis, comprehensive primary health care services, tele-consultation with specialists, and appropriate referrals. These activities are scheduled to run from September 17 to December 31st, 2023.
Among the dignitaries present at Raj Bhawan were Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to Lt Governor; Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary; Dr Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lt Governor; Sh Bhupinder Kumar, Secretary Health and Medical Education, and other senior officers.
