After Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Bill Gates Lauds Ayushman Bharat; Congratulates Modi Government For Successful Execution

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has congratulated the Indian government on the first 100 days of the Ayushman Bharat scheme. He also expressed his joy over 6.85 lakh people benefiting from the healthcare program.

Ayushman Bharat is Narendra Modi government’s flagship healthcare scheme that aims to provide medical coverage to over 10 crore poor families.

It was earlier reported that the first 100 days of the scheme have also seen around 5,000 claims being settled each day.

Around 16,000 hospitals have been empanelled by the state governments and the National Health Agency (NHA) under Ayushman Bharat. More than half of the hospitals are from the private sector. The government is also planning to empanel more branded speciality hospitals under the scheme.

Gates had recently expressed his admiration for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. In a blog titled “India is winning its war on human waste”, Microsoft’s principal founder lauded the steps taken by the nation to deal with dirt and disease.

Quoting portions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech wherein he spoke of the difficulties women in the country face owing to lack of toilets, Gates admitted that he couldn’t “think of another time when a national leader broached such a sensitive topic so frankly and so publicly.”

Impressed at the words having transformed into action, with the Swachch Bharat campaign, Gates said “Modi backed up his words with actions” and also posted a short video titled Talking Toilets focusing on the issue.