Assam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that the Centre's Ayushman Bharat scheme is not only providing free healthcare to residents, but is also assisting in cancer early detection.

The plan has benefited a large number of cancer patients,  the Prime Minister said, who inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for cancer hospitals across Assam. People did not get treated for cancer before the scheme was launched, said the Prime Minister because they were worried about the financial burden on their children.

Ayushman Bharat is the National Health Protection Scheme, which covers over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families and provides coverage for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year.

"Not only in Assam, but also in the Northeast, cancer has been a major issue. This has the greatest impact on our lowest and middle-class households. Patients had to fly to big cities for cancer treatment till a few years ago "According to the Prime Minister.  PM Modi recalled a time when people rejoiced over the opening of just one hospital every seven years. "Three more cancer hospitals will be ready for your service in a few months," the Prime Minister remarked, highlighting the new situation.

The Prime Minister praised the efforts of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, saying that it focused on seven things in terms of health, including prevention through yoga and swachhta campaigns, early detection through new testing centres, primary healthcare centres in every district, free treatment up to Rs 5,00,000 under Ayushman Bharat, focus on augmenting health infrastructure even in the most remote areas, and increasing workforce in the health sector.

Ratan Tata, PM Modi Inaugurates 7 state-of-the-art Cancer Centres in Assam's Dibrugarh

‘Bodo Accord’ Brought Long-Lasting Peace To Assam: PM Modi

PM Modi Lauds India-Japan ties deepened in every sphere in 70 yrs