The Ayushman Bhavah campaign is a comprehensive nationwide healthcare initiative of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India. The campaign aims to provide saturation coverage of healthcare services to every village and town in the country . The campaign involves a set of interventions that include Ayushman – Apke Dwar 3.0, Ayushman Sabhas, Ayushman Melas, and eventually ensuring Gram/ Nagar Panchayat or Urban Ward to attain the status of Ayushman Panchayat or Ayushman Urban Ward in a saturation mode.
The campaign was launched by President Smti Murmu in the country on 13th September 2023, and by the Governor of Nagaland Shri La.Ganesan in the State and it will be implemented during the ‘Seva Pakhwada’ from September 17 to October 2, 2023. Ayushman Bhavah campaign which is an umbrella initiative for enhanced awareness about various health care schemes and to saturate critical health care services in rural and urban areas, with following three major components:
1. Ayushman Apke Dwar 3.0 – For distribution of Ayushman cards to all remaining eligible beneficiaries under PM-JAY Scheme, with saturation mode starting from 17th September 2023, to ensure no eligible beneficiary is left.
2. Ayushman Mela – Starting from 17th September 2023, weekly Health Melas to be held at the level of AB-HWCs mainly to focus on optimizing utilization of health care services and awareness generation. Moreover, weekly Health Melas at the level of CHCs, are also to be organized to ensure specialist services in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Surgery, ENT, Eye and Psychiatric etc.
3. Ayushman Sabha – A village level Sabha (Gram Sabha) for rural areas and ward sabha for urban areas led by Village Health, Sanitation and Nutrition Committee (VHSNC)/Urban Local Body to be held on 2nd October 2023 to enhance awareness about various health care schemes and services including Ayushman cards, ABHA IDs, Sickle Cell Disease, Immunization, TB patient identification etc.
Ayushman Gram/Ward- Subsequently, the successful implementation of all the above initiatives under the campaign will eventually ensure Gram/ Nagar Panchayat to attain the status of ‘Ayushman Gram Panchayat or Ayushman Urban Ward’ with saturation of selected health indicators i.e. distribution of Ayushman Cards and creation of ABHA IDs, screening population for Hypertension & Diabetes, identification and treatment of TB patients and screening of Sickle cell disease and card distribution.
Besides, following activities will also be held at all public health care facilities in rural and urban areas i.e. SHC-HWC, PHC-HWC, CHC, DH & Medical Colleges between 17th September 2023 to 2nd October 2023-
a. Swachhta Abhiyan- Cleanliness drive.
b. Organ Donation Pledge Drive- Awareness and motivation on the importance of organ donation
c. Blood donation camp- Awareness & mobilise for Voluntary Blood Donation.
Dr Ritu Thurr
Principal Director,
Department of Health & Family Welfare,
Government of Nagaland