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Government to Launch Expanded Health Initiatives
Context:
The Prime Minister is set to formally launch the expanded Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and the U-WIN vaccination tracking portal next month, as announced by the Health Minister.
Key Highlights:
- In addition to these major launches, Health Minister also highlighted the introduction of a new and efficacious regimen for tuberculosis (TB) under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).
- This new regimen is expected to reduce the treatment duration for drug-resistant TB patients from nine to twelve months to just six months.
- The long-pending issue of land allotment for the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Darbhanga has been resolved, with the Government of Bihar handing over 150.13 acres of land required for the institute.
Expanded Ayushman Bharat Scheme:
- The expanded AB-PMJAY scheme will now include all senior citizens aged 70 and above, irrespective of their income.
- This significant expansion aims to provide comprehensive health coverage to approximately 60 million senior citizens across 45 million families.
- The scheme offers a cashless and paperless benefit cover of ₹5 lakh per annum per family, which can be availed at empanelled hospitals across India.
U-WIN Portal:
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The U-WIN portal, designed to streamline and digitise the vaccination process, will also be launched in October.
- This platform aims to manage the country’s immunisation programs efficiently, ensuring a comprehensive record of vaccinations for pregnant women and children from birth to 17 years.
- The portal, which is already operational on a pilot basis, has registered 64.6 million beneficiaries and recorded over 23 million administered vaccine doses.
- The portal will be available in 11 regional languages, including Hindi, making it accessible to a broader population.
Significance:
- Since its inception, the AB-PMJAY scheme has covered over 354 million citizens, providing them with health insurance cards to access the benefits.
- The U-WIN portal initiative is part of the government’s efforts to strengthen digital infrastructure in healthcare and improve the efficiency of vaccination programs.
- These initiatives reflect the government’s commitment to improving healthcare accessibility and quality for all citizens, particularly the elderly and vulnerable populations.