The union health ministry has undertaken various healthcare schemes to ensure healthy life and further improve the average life expectancy of the people in the country to combat COVID-19.1

Background

In order to decrease the effect of increasing burden of diseases, National Health Mission (NHM) has initiated various programs like National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS), National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI), National Mental Health Programme (NMHP), National Programme for Healthcare of Elderly (NPHCE), National Programme for the Prevention and Control of Deafness (NPPCD) etc.

The Ayushman Bharat scheme with its two components of Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) addresses disparity in access and reduces out of pocket expenditure for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization for 40 per cent of India's population. The scheme provides hospital care for about 1,350 illnesses at secondary and tertiary level empanelled public and private hospitals. HWC encourages healthy choices and behaviours including Yoga and other physical activities. National Health Mission is creating a network of 1,50,000 HWCs by upgrading existing Sub Centres (SCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to provide comprehensive primary health care (CPHC), which is universal and free to all those who access public health facilities. The CPHC basket of services cover 12 key service areas, which go beyond the reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health (RMNCH+A) services to include screening and care for NCDs etc. National Health Policy, 2017, also emphasises on provision of availability of free, comprehensive primary health care services, for all aspects of reproductive, maternal, child and adolescent health and for the most prevalent communicable, non-communicable and occupational diseases in the population.

Conclusion

In order to prevent the increasing prevalence of the disease government has taken special steps like providing continuous care to elderly above 60 years of age from preventive and promotive up to rehabilitation in geriatric units of district hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres under NPHCE. It also provides financial support in the form of untied funds, annual maintenance grants and Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS) funds for development of health facilities and ensuring services.

Footnote

1. http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=121980&sid=2

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