Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Monday said that nine lakh health camps have been organised across the country under the ‘Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan’, screening more than 3.6 crore citizens for various non-communicable and communicable diseases.
Speaking at a media event in the national capital, Nadda said the campaign, launched on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday and running till Gandhi Jayanti, has seen large-scale participation.
“So far, 9,00,000 health camps have been held, each attended by specialists. Nearly 3.6 crore people have been screened, and I believe the number will cross 4 crore by October 2,” the minister stated.
At these nationwide camps, people were screened for hypertension, diabetes, breast cancer, cervical cancer, oral cancer, and anaemia. Services also included antenatal check-ups, life-saving vaccinations for children, and nutrition counselling for families. Screening for tuberculosis and sickle cell disease, blood donor registration, and distribution of new Ayushman Bharat/PM-JAY cards were also conducted.
Nadda highlighted that India’s health policy has undergone a transformation over the last decade, with a holistic approach introduced since 2014, covering prevention, promotion, detection, curative and palliative care.
“As part of this approach, the government has established 1,79,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs as the first point of contact for 140 crore citizens,” he added.
The minister also said that institutional deliveries have risen from 79% to nearly 90%, aided by incentives for ASHA workers and free transportation facilities for mothers.
Nadda further underlined Prime Minister Modi’s health-focused initiatives such as the Fit India Movement, POSHAN Abhiyaan, and Khelo India, which promote a healthy lifestyle. He also noted growing awareness of mental health and access to quality medicines, enabling citizens to live healthier lives.
-IANS