100 Days of Modi 3.0: Health Coverage for Seniors Over 70 and 75,000 New Medical Seats Announced
In the first 100 days of its third term, the Narendra Modi-led government has introduced several key initiatives to strengthen the healthcare sector. Among the highlights are health coverage for all seniors aged 70 and above and the creation of 75,000 new medical seats.
The new health coverage scheme will benefit around 4.5 crore families, including 6 crore senior citizens, offering them up to ₹5 lakh in medical coverage regardless of their income. This initiative, part of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), addresses the needs of an aging population, which is expected to double by 2050, increasing the demand for geriatric care.
During his Independence Day address, Prime Minister Modi pledged to add 75,000 more medical seats over the next five years, boosting the current total of over 1 lakh. This expansion aims to enhance the effectiveness of the healthcare system and reduce reliance on foreign medical education.
The government also launched the Rashtriya Poshan Mission under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, focusing on improving nutritional standards for children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls.
To advance digital healthcare, the U-WIN portal has been introduced to streamline routine immunizations, and the National Medical Commission is developing a centralized doctors’ repository. A special campaign has been initiated to raise awareness about sickle cell disease, targeting women, adolescent girls, and tribal communities.
In the Union Budget for 2024-25, customs duties on three cancer drugs—Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Osimertinib, and Durvalumab—were waived to alleviate the financial burden on cancer patients. Additionally, the GST rate on these drugs was reduced from 12% to 5%.
The government has also rolled out the PM E-DRIVE scheme, which includes a new electric ambulance service with an investment of ₹10,900 crore. The ‘Scan and Share’ feature on the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) has been launched to facilitate 4 crore out-patient registrations, further advancing digital healthcare.
