27.9 mn Ayushman Cards created under Viksit Bharat Yatra: Health ministry

More than 27.9 million Ayushman Cards have been created since the start of the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra (VBSY), according to data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

This includes physical distribution of more than 5 million Ayushman Cards till February 21, the ministry communication stated.    

The VBSY was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 15 last year from Jharkhand’s Khunti. As part of on-spot services under it, health camps are being organised at the halts of the IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) vans in the Gram Panchayats.

A total of 237,172 gram panchayats and urban local bodies have been covered under health camps since the start of the Yatra. These camps have recorded a cumulative footfall of over 73 million people, according to data released by the ministry.

According to the VBSY portal, a major objective of the campaign is to achieve saturation of central schemes across all gram panchayats, nagar panchayats, and urban local bodies. This includes the enrolment of potential beneficiaries through details ascertained during the Yatra.

According to ministry data, 38.9 million people have undergone screening for tuberculosis at the health camps, of which 1.95 million people were referred for further treatment. Similarly, 54.8 million people were screened for other non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.  
 

More than 42.8 million people have been screened for sickle cell disease (SCD), of which 83,193 people have been referred to higher public health facilities for SCD treatment, the ministry communication added.