India’s Ayushman Bharat Scheme got a huge shout-out from World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who lauded the country’s efforts towards Universal Health Coverage. Addressing the G20 Health Ministers’ Meeting in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar, the WHO chief emphasized the need to promote digital health, terming it a “great asset” for its ability to bridge the gap of affordability and render medical care to the innermost areas and to those who may not be able to afford the services.

Ghebreyesus also acknowledged the country’s leadership in the digital health sector and said that services provided by India could be virtual telemedicine through digital technologies.

“I have seen it happening in Ayushman Bharat… how a community health worker in that centre was communicating with a doctor 40 km away and managing a patient. It can also be done globally,” he remarked.

The director-general of the World Health Organisation also shared his school story when he was first introduced to Ayurveda – India’s centuries-old alternative medicine system.

“It’s the first time I heard about Ayurveda and India’s huge potential for traditional medicine… and that link goes back to my exposure to Ayurveda during my student days. As we can see Indian doctors, Indian teachers, I can see that they are your ambassadors… This is a great opportunity for India, especially in terms of medical tourism or Medical Value Travel, it can give you a huge advantage,” the WHO chief added in the G20 Health Ministers’ Meeting.

What is AB PM-JAY?

The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) is a national health protection scheme. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched it on September 23, 2018 to ensure affordable and quality primary care to all. The government claims the scheme provides up to Rs 5 lakh health cover to over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families with approximately 50 crore beneficiaries.

Furthermore, the government aims to convert around 1.5 lakh sub-centres and primary health centres into Health and Wellness Centres as part of the second pillar of the Ayushman Bharat scheme.