International Desk

GANDHINAGAR: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a one-day visit to the poll-bound Gujarat on Friday, said the initiatives taken in the healthcare sector during his tenure as chief minister of Gujarat are today being replicated at a national level, reports Hindustan Times.

The Prime Minister said this in his address after inaugurating the A.M. Naik Healthcare Complex and Nirali Multi Speciality Hospital in Navsari. He also virtually inaugurated the Kharel education complex.

The Prime Minister recalled his days as Gujarat chief minister when he launched schemes like Swasthya Gujarat, Ujjwal Gujarat, Mukhyamanti Amritam Yojna.

This experience, he said, is helping in serving the poor of the entire country. He said that under Ayushman Bharat scheme, 41 lakh patients have taken benefit of free treatment in Gujarat, many of these being women, deprived and tribal people. The scheme has saved more than ₹7,000 crore for the patients. Gujarat has received more than 7,500 health and wellness centers and 600 ‘Deendayal Aushadhalaya’.

Talking about improvement in the health and nutrition parameters of women and children, the PM also referred to Chiranjivi Yojna for institutional delivery, which has benefitted 14 lakh mothers. The Prime Minister said that Gujarat’s Chiranjivi and Khikhilahat Schemes have been expanded at the national level into Mission Indradhanush and PM Matru Vandana Yojana.

He also appreciated the spirit of Nirali Trust and AM Naik who converted a personal tragedy into an opportunity to ensure that no other family faces that and congratulated the people of Navsari for modern health complex and multi speciality hospital. Naik, the group chairman of L&T, is the founder of the hospital project.

The Prime Minister said modernisation and accessibility of healthcare facilities is critical for empowerment and ease of life of the poor.

“We have focussed on a holistic approach during the last eight years for improving the country’s health sector,” he said.

“We aim to protect the poor and middle class from disease and, in case of disease, we aim to minimise the expenses” the Prime Minister said. He noted the improvement in Gujarat’s healthcare infrastructure and healthcare indicators as the state topped Sustainable Development Goal index of the NITI Ayog.