In a momentous event set to redefine healthcare accessibility and inclusivity across the country, Honourable President, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, will inaugurate the visionary 'Ayushman Bhav' campaign on September 13, 2023. This historic launch will take place through a virtual event, marking a significant leap towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and ensuring healthcare for all.

The inauguration event will be attended by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, and Prof. SP Singh Baghel, Union Ministers of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, several Members of Parliament, and senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Hon’ble Governors, Hon’ble Chief Ministers, State Ministers, and their officers from different sectors have been invited to participate virtually from all States and Union Territories. A large number of public representatives, beneficiaries and participants will also attend from District headquarters, Block headquarters and Health and Wellness Centres in their villages. 

The 'Ayushman Bhav' campaign, initiated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, is a comprehensive nationwide healthcare initiative that aims to provide saturation coverage of healthcare services, reaching every village and town in the country. This groundbreaking initiative builds upon the success of the Ayushman Bharat program and signifies a paradigm shift in healthcare services.

The campaign, which will be implemented during the 'Seva Pakhwada' from September 17th to October 2nd, 2023, embodies a whole-of-nation and whole-of-society approach. It unites government sectors, civil society organizations and communities under a common mission to ensure that every individual receives essential health services without any disparity or exclusion.

The Ayushman Bhav campaign is a collaborative effort spearheaded by Gram Panchayats in coordination with the Department of Health, other government departments, and local elected bodies in the rural and urban areas. Its core objective is to extend comprehensive healthcare coverage to every village and town, transcending geographical barriers and ensuring that no one is left behind.

This synergistic approach aims to saturate coverage of health services through its three components Ayushman - Apke Dwar 3.0, Ayushman Melas at Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Ayushman Sabhas in every village and panchayat:

Ayushman Apke Dwar 3.0: This initiative 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: These Melas at Ayushman Bharat- HWCs and CHCs will facilitate the creation of ABHA IDs (Health IDs) and issuance of Ayushman Bharat Cards. They will also offer early diagnosis, comprehensive primary health care services, teleconsultation with specialists, and appropriate referrals.

Ayushman Sabhas: These gatherings in every village and Panchayat will play a pivotal role in distributing Ayushman cards, generating ABHA IDs, and raising awareness about vital health schemes and disease conditions, such as non-communicable diseases, tuberculosis (Nikshay Mitra), sickle cell disease, as well as blood donation and organ donation drives.

The Ayushman Bhav campaign is aligned with the vision of creating 'Healthy Villages' and 'Healthy Gram Panchayats,' laying the foundation for achieving Universal Health Coverage in the country. Panchayats that successfully saturate the health schemes will earn the prestigious title of 'Ayushman Gram Panchayat' or 'Ayushman Urban Ward,' symbolizing their dedication to equitable healthcare provision.

Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya held a virtual interaction with Health Ministers and senior officers of States and UTs today to take stock of the preparations underway for the launch of Ayushman Bhav.

Dr Mandaviya highlighted the importance of the Ayushman Bhav initiative for all states and UTs. He stressed upon the states/UTs to organize Health Melas in the Health and Wellness Centres every year and urged every medical college to hold a Health Camp at the block level. He emphasized that this would ensure that patients getting screened at the Health Melas can access timely treatment at the Health Melas.

Underlining the complementarity of cleanliness and good health, he exhorted the states to ensure that all villages hold Swachchta Drive on 2^nd Oct. He also underscored the importance of organ-donation and blood-donation which have recently been added as the sixth and seventh pillars of the Ayushman Bharat Initiative.

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