Health Budget Highlights: New Vaccination App, Ayushman Bharat cover for ASHAs

Budget 2024: What's in store for the health sector? Here's all you need to know.

What does the interim Union Budget 2024 have in store for the healthcare sector? 

(Photo: FIT)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday, 1 February, while announcing the Interim Union Budget said that U-Win, a new app for managing immunisations will soon be rolled out across the country by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Sitharaman also said that the health cover under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana will be extended to all Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) Workers and Anganwadi workers and helpers as well.

This is, however, the interim budget for the upcoming fiscal year. A full Budget for 2024-2025 will be announced after the new government is formed following the Lok Sabha elections to be tentatively held around March-April.

In the 2023 Union Budget, Rs 89,155 crore had been allocated to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a 13 percent hike compared to the previous year.

The Key Highlights

• There are plans to set up more medical colleges. To facilitate this, a committee shall be set-up to examine the existing issues and make recommendations.

• Anganwadi centres under Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 — an Integrated Nutrition Support Programme introduced by the Union Health Ministry in 2022, will be expedited for improved nutrition delivery, early childhood care, and development.

• The MoHFW's newly developed app for managing vaccinations, U-Win will be rolled out soon throughout the country.

• Healthcare cover under the Ayushman Bharat scheme will be extended to all ASHA Workers and Anganwadi workers and helpers.

• Existing schemes for maternal and child healthcare will be brought under one comprehensive program for frictionless implementation.

• Cervical cancer vaccination in girls between 9 - 14 years will be encouraged.