PM Modi Launches PMASBY Scheme In Varanasi, Slams Oppn For Not Focusing On Healthcare | Key Points

PMASBY aims to fill gaps in public health infrastructure, especially in critical care facilities and primary care in both urban and rural areas.

PM Modi in Varanasi (Image: ANI)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited his constituency Varanasi ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022 and launched the PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission worth Rs 64,180 crore, to strengthen the health care infrastructure across the country.

In a statement, the PMO said Prime Minister Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana (PMASBY) would be one of the largest pan-India schemes for strengthening healthcare infrastructure and will be in addition to the National Health Mission.

Key points of PM Modi's speech in Varanasi:

• PM Modi focused on India achieving the feat of 100 Cr vaccine jabs in the country and said, "In its fight against Corona pandemic, the nation has achieved a major milestone of administering 100 cr vaccine doses. With the blessings of Baba Vishwanath, Maa Ganga, and the trust of the people of Kashi, the campaign of 'Sabko vaccine, muft vaccine' is going ahead successfully."
• Hitting the previous governments and opposition parties PM Modi said that for a long time after independence, not much attention was paid to health and healthcare facilities. People who governed the nation for a long time kept the healthcare system devoid of facilities instead of facilitating its development but things have changed in NDA's regime especially where there is a double engine government like Uttar Pradesh.
• PM Modi further focused on how rural India lacked basic medical facilities in previous governments. PM Modi said, "Villages either didn't have hospitals or no doctors in hospitals. Block hospitals didn't have testing facilities, if test reports came in, there was doubt on its results. Dist level hospitals led to surgery for serious diseases but the hospitals didn't have surgery facilities."
• Prime Minister further applauded the Banaras Hindu University for providing excellent opportunities to youth in every field. PM Modi said, "If Kashi has seen another big achievement in the past years, then it is the progress of BHU towards excellence. Today, from technology to health numerous opportunities are being provided by BHU. Youth from all over the country are choosing BHU for higher studies.
• PM Modi said, "The quick pace with which new medical colleges are being started in UP, will have a positive impact on the number of medical seats and doctors. Due to more number of seats, now the children of poor parents too can dream of becoming a doctor and fulfill it."

What is PMASBY scheme?

Its objective is to fill gaps in public health infrastructure, especially in critical care facilities and primary care in both urban and rural areas. Under PMASBY, a national institution for health, four new national institutes for virology, a regional research platform for WHO southeast Asia Region, nine biosafety level-III laboratories, five new regional national centres for disease control will be set up, the PMO said.

The PMASBY scheme was announced in the Budget speech of FY 21-22, for an outlay of about Rs 64,180 crore over six years (till FY 25-26) and will be in addition to the National Health Mission, as per the information provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Earlier during the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated nine medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh from Siddharthnagar. The nine medical colleges are in the districts of Siddharthnagar, Etah, Hardoi, Pratapgarh, Fatehpur, Deoria, Ghazipur, Mirzapur and Jaunpur.

This was PM Modi's second visit to UP in a week. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the airport at Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh. Kushinagar, about 320 km from the state capital Lucknow, is the final resting place of the Buddha. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also laid the foundation stone for the Rajkiya Medical College in Kushinagar.