'Swasth Bharat' imperative to achieve 'Sashakt Bharat' says Adityanath

    Gorakhpur, Dec 9 (PTI) Stating that a 'Sashakt Bharat' is possible only with a 'Swasth Bharat', Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said both the Central and state governments are working with unwavering commitment to ensure the health and well-being of every citizen.
    Speaking at a function to distribute Ayushman Vay Vandana cards to senior citizens above 70, Adityanath said, "Initiatives like Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya cashless medical scheme, Ayushman Vay Vandana Yojana, and financial aid through the Chief Minister's Relief Fund reflect our dedication to create a strong and empowered India through a healthy India," Adityanath said.
    "A 'Sashakt Bharat' (empowered India) is only possible with a 'Swasth Bharat' (healthy India) and both the Central and state governments are working with unwavering commitment to ensure the health and well-being of every citizen," he said.
    At the function, the chief minister distributed Vay Vandana health scheme cards to 19 beneficiaries and interacted with them.
    Highlighting the strides made by the government in strengthening the health and medical sector, Adityanath said, "Before 2017, Uttar Pradesh had only 12 government medical colleges. Today, the double-engine government has established medical colleges in 65 out of 75 districts in the state."
    "This year alone, 16 medical colleges have commenced operations -- 13 under state government's management and three on public-private partnership (PPP) model. Additionally, two new private medical colleges have also been inaugurated, further expanding the state's healthcare infrastructure," he added.
    Talking about eastern Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath recalled how encephalitis claimed the lives of a large number of children in Gorakhpur and its surrounding areas every year before 2017.
    "But post-2017, the double-engine government has effectively controlled and eradicated this deadly disease," he claimed.
    Drawing comparisons to the past, the chief minister said, "The BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur was the only medical institute in eastern Uttar Pradesh before 2017, which itself was in a dilapidated state. Today, under the double-engine government, an AIIMS has been established in Gorakhpur, while BRD Medical College has been upgraded to offer super-specialty services."
    Also, government hospitals in every district are now equipped with state-of-the-art facilities such as ICUs, dialysis units, CT scan machines, colour Doppler, MRI, blood banks, and blood component units, benefiting a large number of citizens, the chief minister said.
    "Along with controlling encephalitis, the government also made significant efforts to safeguard 25 crore citizens of the state during the Covid crisis. This was made possible due to the strengthened health infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh," Adityanath said.
    Terming the Ayushman Bharat scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018 as the world's largest health insurance programme, , Adityanath said, "Under this scheme, beneficiaries receive medical treatment worth Rs 5 lakh per year without paying anything. They only need to renew their Ayushman health card annually."
    The chief minister also said that Uttar Pradesh has been the biggest beneficiary of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, with health cards issued to over 5.25 crore individuals and more than nine crore beneficiaries listed under it.
    Addressing the gathering, BJP MP from Gorakhpur Rivi Kishan claimed the chief minister has transformed Uttar Pradesh from a "Bimaru" (sick) state to "Uttam Pradesh".
    Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of Ayushman Bharat Yojana in Uttar Pradesh, Sangeeta Singh, informed the gathering that 750,000 Vay Vandana cards have been issued across the state so far.
    Kidney transplants have now been included under the scheme, reflecting the state government's commitment to expanding healthcare accessibility under the guidance of the chief minister, she added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)