NHA signs pact with Bharti Foundation, HelpAge India for awareness about Ayushman Bharat

New Delhi, Dec 5 () The National Health Authority (NHA) on Thursday said it has signed an agreement with Bharti Foundation, The Akshaya Patra Foundation and HelpAge India to raise awareness about Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

Under the agreement, Bharti Foundation will raise awareness about the the public health scheme across 16 states, HelpAge among the elderlies and Akshay Patra will raise awareness about the project through its school network.

Indu Bhushan, chief executive officer of AB-PMJAY and NHA, in a joint statement said the partnership with The Akshaya Patra Foundation, Bharti Foundation and HelpAge India has provided us an opportunity to reach out to the potential beneficiaries.

"We believe that these organisations' long-term presence in the rural areas and their grassroot connection will help us in achieving the desired awareness level for the scheme across the country," Bhushan said.

AB-PMJAY scheme provides an annual health cover of Rs 5 lakh to poor families for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation through a network of empanelled health care providers (EHCP).

Under the agreement, Bharti Foundation will hold sensitisation drives with its school network targeting stakeholders such as school children, parents and the immediate village community.

"This collaboration is in line with our efforts to ensure better life for underprivileged families in rural India," Mamta Saikia, chief executive officer of Bharti Foundation, said

NHA will conduct various community campaigns, parent meetings and rallies and engage with local panchayats and other community members to sensitise the underprivileged community about objectives and benefits of the AB-PMJAY, the statement said.

AB-PMJAY has more than 19,000 hospitals empanelled where nearly 68,37,588 people have availed of treatments under the scheme. PRS HRS