With an eye to the Lok Sabha polls that are just months away, the Union Health Ministry is reaching out to the people to disseminate information about its schemes such as Ayushmaan Bharat through health melas to be organised across the country. The Ministry has kept aside Rs 150 crore for the purpose.
The Ministry will be doling out Rs 12 lakh to every Member of Parliament (MP) to hold the two-day fair in their constituencies. This is for the first time that the Modi Government has kept separate allocation for the purpose.
The Ministry has been in the past holding health melas at various places, popularity of which has prompted the elected representatives of Parliament, Central Ministers and State Governments for such fairs in their constituencies and States.
"The requests express urgency in holding these melas in their areas. In view of this, the Ministry has decided to hold an annual health mela in all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Constituencies across the country. The aim is to create awareness among the people about its health programmes and provide screening for non-communicable diseases," said a senior official from the Ministry.
"The melas will increase health awareness, make beneficieries aware of Government health schemes, provide screening for non communicable diseases and also help people in adopting positive health behaviour e.g quitting to smoke," he added.
The official reasoned that holding health melas and fairs where information on various diseases along with their preventive measures can be provided, along with other healthcare services have been found to be popular with the masses. They are also a potent vehicle for creating awareness about different schemes and programs of the Government, not just of the Health Ministry, said the official.
According to the financial guidelines for health melas drawn up by the Ministry, "The support for each Health Mela from National Health Mission shall be Rs 12 lakh per constituency/nodal district of Member of Parliament — Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha respectively. The health melas shall be organised under the flagship programme of National Health Mission of the Health Ministry. The Centre state funding pattern will be 60:40 per cent for non-hill States and 90:10 per centage for hill States."
These health melas envisage attracting lakhs of people desiring to avail quality health care services with essential pathological tests and medicines. The melas will also help in informing people about the various health programs being carried out by the Central Government, State Government, NGOs etc. and the different systems of medicine (Allopathy, Homeopathy, Ayurveda and Unani etc), the official added.