PM Modi launches health infrastructure mission in Varanasi, slams past government for not investing in health infra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday slammed the previous governments in the Centre and said that the health infrastructure of the nation was not given attention for a long period of time after independence.

Addressing the launch event of PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, PM Modi said, “For a long time after independence, not much attention was paid to health and healthcare facilities. People who governed the nation for years never bothered to invest in healthcare infrastructure.”

“They kept the healthcare system devoid of facilities instead of facilitating its development,” said the Prime Minister.
“Villages either did not have hospitals or no doctors in hospitals. Block hospitals did not have testing facilities, if test reports came in, there was doubt on its results.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi further said, “In its fight against coronavirus pandemic, the nation has achieved a major milestone of administering 100 crore 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.”

“The present Centre government and the state government understand the pain of the poor, downtrodden, oppressed and backward class people. We are working day and night to improve health facilities in the country,” he added.

PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission will be one of the largest pan-India schemes for strengthening healthcare infrastructure across the country. It will be in addition to the National Health Mission, according to PMO.

The objective of PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission is to fill critical gaps in public health infrastructure, especially in critical care facilities and primary care in both urban and rural areas. It will provide support for 17,788 rural Health and Wellness Centres in 10 High Focus States. Further, 11,024 urban Health and Wellness Centres will be established in all the States.