The Indian healthcare system has been a topic of controversy for several years. Despite the country’s immense progress in various sectors, healthcare has lagged behind. In response to the desperate need for reform, India’s Health Minister, Harsh Vardhan, has taken several bold steps to improve the country’s healthcare system.
Step 1: Ayushman Bharat
In 2018, Harsh Vardhan spearheaded the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, a massive healthcare initiative aimed at providing financial protection and health assurance to around 500 million underprivileged and vulnerable Indians. Through this program, families living below the poverty line receive free medical treatment up to INR 5 lakhs ($6900) per year, which covers primary care, secondary care, and tertiary care. The program aims to reduce the financial burden on families and ensure that every Indian has access to high-quality healthcare facilities.
Step 2: Digital Health
The Health Minister’s next move was to launch the National Digital Health Mission in August 2020. This initiative aims to create a digital health infrastructure that provides citizens with easy access to medical records, e-pharmacy, telemedicine services, and health-related e-commerce. The digital infrastructure will operate under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and provide citizens with a unique health ID that stores their medical information.
Step 3: National Health Stack
To support the National Digital Health Mission, Harsh Vardhan introduced the National Health Stack (NHS), which is a collection of digital building blocks that streamline the healthcare ecosystem. The NHS is designed to improve the accessibility, affordability, and quality of healthcare services.
Step 4: Swasth Bharat Yatra
The health minister launched the Swasth Bharat Yatra in 2018, a nationwide campaign aimed at promoting healthy eating habits, fitness, and hygiene. The campaign used a roadshow to educate people on the importance of a balanced diet, regular exercise, and maintaining good personal hygiene. Harsh Vardhan believed that prevention is better than cure and thus prioritize developing awareness about healthy habits.
Step 5: Campaigns against diseases
Apart from the above initiatives, the Health Minister introduced campaigns to combat various diseases such as tuberculosis, cholera, and dengue. These campaigns aimed to raise awareness of symptoms, prevention, and treatment of the disease. They also involved setting up community clinics and health camps to provide easy access to healthcare facilities.
Conclusion
Improving the healthcare system in India is a daunting task, but Harsh Vardhan’s initiatives are a much-needed step in the right direction. The Ayushman Bharat program alone has benefited millions of people and promoted inclusive healthcare in the country, and other initiatives such as the National Digital Health Mission helps to catalyze a digital revolution in the industry. With the Health Minister’s unwavering commitment to improving healthcare, the future looks bright for India’s healthcare system.
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