Presdient Kovind hails Centre's Ayushman Bharat programme

Expressing happiness that the government, civil society, private and charitable institutions and other stakeholders were working together, President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday said the Ayushman Bharat programme will go a long way in providing medical cover, especially to underprivileged citizens.

Speaking at the inauguration of a private super-speciality hospital here, the president emphasised the importance of quality and affordable healthcare services in the country, particularly in Uttar Pradesh.

He pointed to the successes in meeting the challenges of traditional infectious and communicable diseases, and also to the changing disease patterns in the country that were giving rise to lifestyle-related ailments.

The president, in his speech, said around 63 per cent people in the country had to bear the cost of treatment of their family members and this made the poor even poorer, and they even had to sell their property for treatment.

In this context, he said the Ayushman Bharat ...