Disease-free India key to realising 'Viksit Bharat' goal, says activist

Dr Swapna Verma was among the 10 'pathbreakers' whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi met earlier this month during the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders' Dialogue-2025

Achieving a 'Bimari Mukt Bharat' or disease-free India is important for realising the goal of 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, feels social activist and entrepreneur Dr Swapna Verma, who is spearheading a project to deliver tech-enabled diagnostic services at the doorsteps of rural and tribal communities.

Verma was among the 10 'pathbreakers' whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi met earlier this month during the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders' Dialogue-2025.

Hailing from Satna district in Madhya Pradesh, Verma is the founder of the Madhurima Sewa Sanskar Sansthan.

During the young leaders' dialogue at the National Youth Festival, Verma outlined her organisation's flagship project -- 'Heal Rural India' -- before the prime minister, highlighting the scalability of the initiative.

Recounting her first meeting with Modi, Verma, who is also part of the Madhya Pradesh BJP unit, said the prime minister asked her how the 'Heal Rural India' project can help make 'Bharat' become 'Bimari Mukt'.

"I explained that the project is a tech-driven health screening initiative that delivers healthcare awareness to the doorsteps of rural and tribal communities," she told PTI.

"It was a proud moment that motivated me to continue contributing to the vision of Bimari Mukt Bharat," she added.

Verma believes that every citizen in the country deserves access to basic health screening as an essential need for a happy and healthy life.

In alignment with this thought, Verma and her team are conducting complete health screening through a tech-enabled health camp in which doctors, pharmacists, and lab assistants conduct health checkups and collect blood samples to know the health status of an individual.

The patients are then divided into 'minimal', 'mild', and 'severe' categories, according to which they are referred for further treatment.

A family-tree health chart is also prepared for every patient for genetic analysis.

Verma claimed that within a period of 10 years, the database will enable community-specific disease prediction and alerts, creating a proactive approach to public health management.

The project is being implemented in Satna district with the support of local people who are employees at the Madhurima Sewa Sanskar Sansthan, and go from door to door to convey the importance of living a healthy life, she said.

"It is not just a health camp, but also a healing camp which provides information to build a stress-free society," she said, adding that achieving a 'Bimari Mukt Bharat' is important for realising the goal of a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047.

"A disease-free India will ensure improved productivity, enhanced quality of life, and reduced healthcare burdens on families. It will also foster a self-reliant and empowered population, which is essential for driving economic growth and achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat," she said.

In a nation like India, diseases not only impact individuals, but also have ripple effects on families, communities, and the economy.

For rural and tribal populations, limited healthcare access exacerbates these problems, leading to deaths and sufferings which are preventable.

"By focusing on creating a Bimari Mukt Bharat, we address these challenges at their root, ensuring healthier, stronger communities that can contribute to the nation's progress and development," she said.