On Ayurveda Day, PM Modi to unveil Rs 12,850 crore healthcare initiatives | 10 points

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch a series of healthcare initiatives valued at around Rs 12,850 crore during a visit to the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) on October 29. The event, scheduled on the occasion of Dhanvantari Jayanti and the 9th Ayurveda Day, will feature the inauguration and foundation laying for multiple health sector projects. Among the key initiatives, Modi will extend health coverage under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) to include all senior citizens aged 70 and above, expanding access to healthcare without income-based restrictions.

The prime minister will open the second phase of the AIIA, adding facilities including a Panchakarma hospital, an Ayurvedic pharmacy, a sports medicine unit, and an innovation center. Several AIIMS institutions across the country, including those in states like Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, and Assam, will also see service expansions. Modi is also set to launch drone-based healthcare services at 11 AIIMS centers to improve access to medical supplies, and emergency helicopter medical services will be launched from AIIMS Rishikesh. The event will also mark the launch of a digital vaccination platform for pregnant women and children, known as U-WIN, aimed at ensuring timely administration of life-saving vaccines.

All you need to know about healthcare initiatives in 10 points:

Expansion of senior citizen health coverage: New health coverage expansion under Ayushman Bharat for all senior citizens aged 70 and above will provide critical healthcare access to this demographic, regardless of income.

Phase II of All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA): The institute will now feature a Panchakarma hospital, Ayurvedic pharmacy, sports medicine unit, and central library, along with an IT and startup incubation center.

New medical colleges and facility upgrades: Three new medical colleges will open in Madhya Pradesh - Mandsaur, Neemuch, and Seoni. Facility and service extensions will be inaugurated at AIIMS in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh; Kalyani in West Bengal; Patna in Bihar; Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh; Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh; Guwahati in Assam; and in New Delhi.

Foundations for nursing colleges and critical care units: Five nursing colleges – one each in Shivpuri, Ratlam, Khandwa, Rajgarh, and Mandsaur – and 21 critical care blocks will be established in five states – Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan– under the Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission to strengthen regional healthcare infrastructure.

ESIC Hospitals for Workers’ Healthcare: New ESIC hospitals will be inaugurated in Indore, with foundations laid at Faridabad in Haryana, Bommasandra, and Narasapur in Karnataka, Indore in Madhya Pradesh, Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, and Atchutapuram in Andhra Pradesh, expanding healthcare benefits to approximately 5.5 million beneficiaries.

Introduction of drone and helicopter services for medical transport: Drone technology will be used to deliver medicines to remote areas across 11 healthcare institutions, with helicopter emergency services introduced from AIIMS Rishikesh.

Launch of the U-WIN portal for vaccination: This portal aims to digitize vaccinations, ensuring timely vaccine administration for pregnant women and children against major preventable diseases. A new database for healthcare professionals and institutes is also being introduced.

New centres for research and testing: Multiple new research centres, including a Central Drugs Testing Laboratory and four Centres of Excellence, will focus on advancing healthcare R&D and boosting drug quality and innovation.

Ayush Centers of Excellence: Four specialized centres focused on diabetes, sustainable Ayush, and translational research in Ayurveda will further integrate traditional practices with modern healthcare approaches.

Healthcare initiatives for climate resilience and Make in India: A national awareness campaign on health and climate, alongside five new production units for high-end medical devices under the PLI scheme.