Bengaluru: Dr. C.N. Manjunath, the BJP candidate for the Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha Constituency, highlighted several initiatives undertaken by the Narendra Modi Government at the Centre aimed at transforming  the health sector.

He emphasised that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the Central Government has embraced a proactive approach, leading to a significant paradigm shift in the healthcare sector. Rather than solely focusing on treating illnesses, a new emphasis on health and wellness has become central to health  sector governance.

“At birth, the average life expectancy has risen from 49.7 years during 1970-75 to 69.0 years in 2013-17, marking a notable increase of 19.3 years during this period. According to the same report, life expectancy at birth for males and females during 2013-17 stood at 67.8 and 70.4 years, respectively,” he remarked during an interaction at the BJP Media Centre in Bengaluru recently.

Increased life expectancy

Common ailments among older patients include hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischaemic heart disease, poor vision, hearing difficulties, anaemia, arthritis, falls/fractures, bowel and urinary complaints, depression, weight loss, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and tuberculosis.

Recognising the necessity for specialised and accessible healthcare for the elderly, the Government of India has introduced various programmes, including the National Programme for Healthcare of Elderly (NPHCE) and the Integrated Programme for Older Persons like Ayushman Bharat. 

These initiatives aim to provide healthcare facilities to senior citizens aged 60 and above across primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare delivery systems, with the overarching goal of further increasing the average life expectancy of the population, Dr. Manjunath added. “The prices of stent has been slashed from Rs. 1.70 lakh to Rs. 30,000,” he added.

“When Modi took over as the PM, there were only five All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) that offer premium and unmatched services. Now, the number of AIIMS has increased to 23. He also said that, as of 30.11.2022, the Cabinet approved outlay for 16 new AIIMS with a fund of  Rs. 20,944 crore. A fund of Rs.10,595 crore has been released,” he added.

Ayushman Bharat, Digital Health Mission

“One of the significant healthcare initiatives of the Modi Government is the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which aims to provide health coverage to over 500 million people from economically weaker sections of society,” he noted. In Karnataka, there are 1.32 crore Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries, Dr. Manjunath added. 

The Modi Government launched the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) in August 2020, which aims to create a digital health ecosystem that will provide universal health coverage, including access to health records and other healthcare services for all citizens.

“In addition to establishing new AIIMS across the country, the Government has invested significantly in improving healthcare infrastructure, including building new Medical Colleges (from 387 to 700), upgrading existing healthcare facilities and expanding the number of hospital beds,” Dr. Manjunath noted. In Karnataka alone, there are 1,120 Jan Aushadhi Kendras that sell affordable medicines. 

The Government took several steps to combat the pandemic, including setting up COVID-19 hospitals and increasing the number of testing facilities. It also increased the production of vaccines and could vaccinate nearly their entire population, which was a target few other countries achieved. “India managed the pandemic better than the so-called advanced countries,” the renowned                                     cardiologist noted.