Raipur: Mr Sundeep Nayak MD NCDC and Dr Nitin Nagarkar Director AIIMS Raipur signed an MoU today at Raipur to give big push to AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR scheme of healthcare for farmers in rural areas.
AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR, a unique scheme to assist cooperatives play an important role in creation of healthcare infrastructure in the country formulated by the apex autonomous development finance institution under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
NCDC would extend term loans to prospective cooperatives to the tune of Rs.10,000 Crore in the coming years. The ongoing pandemic has brought into focus the requirement of creation of more facilities. NCDC’s scheme will be a step towards strengthening farmers welfare activities by the Central Government.
Dr Nagarkar said AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR scheme could revolutionize healthcare delivery outreach in rural areas.
He also said that AIIMS Raipur would extend all technical and capacity development support under the MoU.
Dr SP Dhaneria, Dean AIIMS Raipur emphasised the need for equipping personnel in rural areas with lab diagnostics, paramedic and nursing skills to create business opportunities in healthcare services delivery for farmers and general population.
Cooperative institutions are expected to take up healthcare services as an activity for farmers.
Shri Nayak added that there are about 52 hospitals across the country run by cooperatives. They have cumulative bed strength of more than 5,000. The NCDC fund would give a boost to provision of healthcare services by cooperatives.
NCDC’s scheme aligns itself with the focus of the National Health Policy, 2017, covering the health systems in all their dimensions- investments in health, organization of healthcare services, access to technologies, development of human resources, encouragement of medical pluralism, affordable health care to farmers etc. It has a comprehensive approach-hospitals, healthcare, medical education, nursing education, paramedical education, health insurance and holistic health systems such as AYUSH. Ayushman Sahakar scheme fund would also assist cooperative hospitals take up medical / Ayush education.
