India’s Health Shield: Ayushman Bharat saves 8.59 Cr from medical debt, 41 Cr cards issued

Union Health Minister JP Nadda credits Ayushman Bharat for historic health sector growth: Over 41 crore health cards issued & 8.59 crore hospital admissions covered

New Delhi: India’s Union Health Minister, JP Nadda, stated on Monday that the government’s main health program, Ayushman Bharat-Jan Arogya (AB-PMJAY), has driven historic progress in the country’s health sector over the past 11 years. He shared this update on social media, highlighting overall progress across various fields like education, health, transport, infrastructure, and defense under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

Minister Nadda emphasized that government initiatives, particularly the AB-PMJAY health insurance scheme, have helped uplift all sections of society. He provided specific figures: as of May 30th, over 41 crore (410 million) Ayushman health cards have been issued across 33 states and union territories. This program is now one of the world’s largest government-funded health insurance schemes. It has supported over 8.59 crore (85.9 million) hospital admissions, covering medical bills worth Rs. 1,19,858 crore, preventing families from falling into debt for secondary and tertiary healthcare.

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The government also reported significant growth in access to affordable medicines. The number of Jan Aushadhi Kendras (medicine stores) has skyrocketed from just 80 in 2014 to 16,469 as of May 30th, bringing essential medicines within reach of ordinary citizens.

Nadda credited Prime Minister Modi’s leadership for India’s progress over the last 11 years, citing achievements like becoming the world’s fourth-largest economy, advancements in international diplomacy, and the upliftment of farmers, women, youth, the elderly, laborers, and businesses. He mentioned other key government programs contributing to this growth, including Ujjwala Yojana (cooking gas), Awas Yojana (housing), Jan Dhan (banking), Mudra Yojana (loans), Drone Didi, and support for self-help groups and self-employment.

The Minister concluded that these combined initiatives have lifted millions of Indians out of poverty, enabling them to live with dignity. He described the past 11 years as dedicated to “service, good governance, and welfare of the poor,” propelling India rapidly towards becoming a developed nation.