Want to create 1.5 lakh wellness centres in India: Modi

Emphasizing on initiatives to improve India's healthcare sector, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the government has plans to open around 1.5 lakh wellness centres across the country.

"We have taken a holistic approach towards healthcare in India. We want to create wellness centres which will be technologically driven," said Modi during an interactive session of the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' diaspora event in Central Hall in Westminster when he was asked about 'Modicare' by a British resident.

During his address, Modi listed three priorities - "children must be educated, youth must have jobs and the elderly must have access to medicines".

"We want to bear the cost of medical expenditure of almost 10 crore population by providing Rs 5 lakh yearly to the families, be it an individual or the whole family," he added.

Modi also stated that the government is working towards improving the healthcare sector and there is a lot scope for establishing both wellness centres and private institutes.

"We have also reduced the cost of medicines in India, medical treatments can now be avail in much lower cost and will introduce medical shops which will provide medicines in lower price," he said.

Modi also highlighted that India is among new nations which has focused on health concerns of women and has introduced maternity leave of 26 weeks.

Modi arrived here on Tuesday night from Sweden on the second leg of his three-nation Europe tour that will also see him visiting Germany.

--IANS

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