PM Modi to inaugurate Ayurveda Hospital in Odisha on October 29

Bhubaneswar, Oct 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate a new Ayurvedic and Naturopathy Hospital in Jatni, Odisha, via video conferencing on October 29, coinciding with National Ayurveda Day, according to Odisha’s Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling.

Mahaling also announced that the Prime Minister will open a Central Drugs Testing Laboratory for the eastern region in Gothapatna and a specialized healthcare facility in Bargarh. Additionally, Modi will launch expanded health coverage for citizens aged 70 and above under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). This initiative will provide eligible seniors free healthcare services worth up to Rs 5 lakh at hospitals enrolled under AB PMJAY.

Although Odisha previously did not participate in the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, the new launch aims to extend the scheme’s benefits to individuals aged 70 and over, potentially benefiting around six crore people across 4.5 crore households.

Those already benefiting from other public health insurance programs, such as the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS), and Ayushman CAPF, can choose between their current coverage or the newly expanded AB PM-JAY.