Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here’s your knowledge nugget for today.
(Relevance: Government policies and schemes are an important part of the UPSC CSE exam, and previous year’s questions highlight their significance. Additionally, UPSC has consistently asked questions on health and diseases in its examinations over the years. For instance, in 2014, a question about the Ebola virus appeared in the prelims, and in 2017, a question about the Zika virus was featured. Therefore, it is crucial to stay updated not only on diseases that are currently in the news but also on various government health schemes aimed at improving the quality of life for people.
Why in the news?
Every year, April 7 is celebrated as World Health Day to raise awareness about diseases and concerns, the significance of preventive care, and good health rising as a top priority. It is a global initiative by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Falling on a Monday, this year, the day is being celebrated under the theme “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures”, highlighting the importance of the health of mothers and babies forming the foundation of healthy families and communities, thereby helping to ensure hopeful futures for us all. In this context, let’s explore the various Government initiatives in the health sector.
Key Takeaways :
📍Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)
1. The Ayushman Bharat Yojana, also known as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), is the world’s largest public health insurance scheme.
2. Launched by the Government of India in 2018, AB-PMJAY’s primary aim is to provide comprehensive health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year. It connects the public and private health sectors into a one-nation, one-system.
3. PMJAY is for inpatient secondary and tertiary care. Outpatient services are not a part of the scheme. The latter component is being addressed through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs), earlier called Health and Wellness Centres. With over 1,75,000 AAMs free consultations and many medicines (up to 172) and diagnostics (up to 63) are being provided free.
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4. Notably, on October 29 (Ayurveda Day) last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Ayushman Vaya Vandana health cards under the AB PM-JAY to provide health coverage to people aged 70 years and above, regardless of their income and economic status.
📍National Health Mission (NHM)
1. The NHM was launched as National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) by central government in 2005. In 2013, the Centre included the urban component .i.e. National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) in the mission and NRHM was rebranded as the National Health Mission, consisting of two sub-missions: NRHM and NUHM.
2. The main program components include Health System Strengthening, Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A), as well as Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases.
3. The National Health Mission aims to achieve universal access to equitable, affordable, and high-quality healthcare services that are accountable and responsive to the needs of the population.
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4. In January this year, the Union Cabinet reviewed the progress under the National Health Mission over the last three years and was informed that with significant progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), India is on track to meet its health targets well ahead of the 2030 deadline.
📍Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)
1. Launched in 2016, the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan aims to provide assured, comprehensive and quality antenatal care, free of cost, universally to all pregnant women on the 9th of every month.
2. PMSMA guarantees a minimum package of antenatal care services to women in their 2nd/3rd trimesters of pregnancy at designated government health facilities.
3. According to the website of PMSMA. “the programme follows a systematic approach for engagement with private sector which includes motivating private practitioners to volunteer for the campaign; developing strategies for generating awareness and appealing to the private sector to participate in the Abhiyan at government health facilities.”
📍Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY)
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1. Launched in 2003, the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) aims to correct regional imbalances in the availability of affordable/reliable tertiary healthcare services and also to augment facilities for quality medical education in the country.
2. PMSSY has two components: (i) Setting up of AIIMS (ii) Upgradation of Government Medical College(GMC)/Institutions.
📍Mission Indradhanush
1. Mission Indradhanush was launched in December 2014. It aims at increasing the full immunization coverage to children to 90%.
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2. Under this mission focus is given on pockets of low immunization coverage and hard-to-reach areas where the proportion of unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children is highest.
3. According to the website of National Health Mission. “a total of six phases of Mission Indradhanush have been completed, covering 554 districts across the country. While the first two phases of Mission Indradhanush resulted in 6.7% increase in full immunization coverage in a year, a recent survey carried out in 190 districts covered in Intensified Mission Indradhanush (5th phase of Mission Indradhanush) shows 18.5% points increase in full immunization coverage as compared to NFHS-4 survey carried out in 2015-16.)
BEYOND THE NUGGET: Top leading causes of death globally
( Government health policies and schemes are formulated on the basis of emerging diseases and the burden of various illnesses. Therefore, understanding the leading causes of death is essential, not only to identify areas that need attention but also to understand the patterns of diseases that affect the population. This understanding allows for the formulation of appropriate policies.)
1. The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) World Health Statistics 2024 reported that in 2021, the following top 10 causes of death accounted for 39 million deaths, or 57% of the total 68 million deaths worldwide.
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| Rank | Disease | Category | No. of Deaths Globally | % of Total Deaths |
| 1 | Ischaemic heart disease | Non-communicable | 9.0M | 13.2 |
| 2 | COVID-19 | Infectious disease | 8.7M | 12.8 |
| 3 | Stroke | Non-communicable | 7.0M | 10.2 |
| 4 | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | Non-communicable | 3.5M | 5.2 |
| 5 | Lower respiratory infections | Infectious disease | 2.5M | 3.6 |
| 6 | Trachea, bronchus, lung cancers | Non-communicable | 1.9M | 2.7 |
| 7 | Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias | Non-communicable | 1.8M | 2.7 |
| 8 | Diabetes | Non-communicable | 1.6M | 2.4 |
| 9 | Kidney diseases | Non-communicable | 1.4M | 2.1 |
| 10 | Tuberculosis | Infectious disease | 1.4M | 2 |
Source: World Health Organisation
2. At a global level, seven out of the ten leading causes of death in 2021 were non-communicable diseases, which together accounted for 38% of all deaths, or 68% of the top ten causes.
3. Notably, diseases that were among the top 10 in 2000 are no longer on the list, such as HIV and AIDS, which have fallen by 61%, and diarrhoeal diseases, which have dropped by 45%.
Post Read Questions
(1) With reference to Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2022)
1. Private and public hospitals must adopt it.
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2. As it aims to achieve universal health coverage, every citizen of India should be part of it ultimately.
3. It has seamless portability across the country.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
(2) ‘Mission Indradhanush’ launched by the Government of India pertains to (UPSC CSE 2016)
(a) immunization of children and pregnant women
(b) construction of smart cities across the country
(c) India’s own search for the Earth-like planets in outer space
(d) New Educational Policy
(3) With reference to the National Rural Health Mission, which of the following are the jobs of ‘ASHA’, a trained community health worker? ( UPSC CSE 2012)
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1. Accompanying women to the health facility for antenatal care checkup
2. Using pregnancy test kits for early detection of pregnancy
3. Providing information on nutrition and immunisation.
4. Conducting the delivery of baby
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(Sources: nhm.gov.in, pmsma.mohfw.gov, pmssy.mohfw.gov, Knowledge Nugget: How are ASHA workers and National Health Mission relevant for UPSC exam?, Top 10 leading causes of death globally: A look into India’s cases, Senior citizens aged 70 and above to get free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY)
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