AYUSH to Join Ayushman Bharat: Transforming Public Healthcare

AYUSH minister Prataprao Jadhav announced that 170 AYUSH treatment packages will be included in the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. Special medical stores will ensure easy access to AYUSH medications. Strategic consultations with insurance companies and the National Health Authority are in final stages. This initiative aims to improve public healthcare quality across India.

In a significant move, the government is set to integrate 170 AYUSH treatment packages into its flagship Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, announced AYUSH minister Prataprao Jadhav on Friday. Consultations for this plan are nearing completion.

To ensure widespread accessibility to AYUSH medications, specialised medical stores resembling 'Janaushadhi Kendras' will be established at the tehsil level. These stores will provide a range of herbal and traditional medicines, enhancing public healthcare in both urban and rural regions, Jadhav stated during a press briefing marking 100 days of the new government.

Jadhav highlighted that discussions with insurance companies are finalising the cost structures for the packages, which will soon be available to Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries. Collaborations with the National Health Authority are also progressing. The integration of these 170 AYUSH packages focuses on non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension.

Under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), the world's largest publicly funded health insurance scheme, 12 crore families receive Rs 5 lakh coverage per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. Jadhav emphasized that a Strategic Purchasing Committee has been created to ensure affordable AYUSH treatments.

Furthermore, consultations with stakeholders, including states and union territories, have been conducted. The Ministry of AYUSH has successfully organized 14,692 camps for elderly citizens, surpassing its commitment of 10,000 camps within the first 100 days.

In addition, the ministry has established the National Institute of Ayurveda in Panchkula, Haryana, and initiated the setup of three Central Research Institutes for Yoga and Naturopathy in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh. An agreement between the Ministry of AYUSH and WHO, signed on July 31, 2024, demonstrates India's dedication to integrating AYUSH into the global healthcare system. Collaboration agreements with Vietnam and Malaysia further bolster traditional medicine practices and research.

Jadhav also announced the 'Har Ghar AyurYog' initiative to promote Ayurveda and Yoga. Significant steps such as the 'One Herb, One Standard' initiative aim to standardize herbal medicines across India.

(With inputs from agencies.)