Union Health Minister Shri J. P. Nadda Chairs Meeting to Assess Expansion of Project SARATHI Across Healthcare Institutions

Key Highlights:

• Union Health Minister Shri J. P. Nadda chaired a meeting to assess the expansion of Project SARATHI across healthcare institutions.
• Project SARATHI aims to improve patient experience through trained youth volunteers and strengthen community participation in public healthcare.
• The initiative has been successfully implemented at PGIMER, Chandigarh, mobilizing over 2,500 volunteers and contributing more than 1.5 lakh service hours.
• A study at PGIMER reported a 26% reduction in overall patient navigation time for those assisted by volunteers.
• Expansion plans include replicating the project across Central Government hospitals and integrating it with the MY Bharat initiative.
• Digital platforms will be utilized for volunteer registration, attendance, patient feedback, and ABHA ID creation.

Detailed Insights:

• The meeting emphasized that patient-centric healthcare includes timely guidance, assistance, and compassionate support for patients and their attendants.
• Volunteers provide non-clinical support such as hospital navigation, wheelchair assistance, and guidance for diagnostic services.
• The expansion seeks to develop a scalable and sustainable framework for implementing Project SARATHI nationwide.
• Discussions covered institutional mechanisms, volunteer training, coordination with MY Bharat, and digital integration.
• Safeguards will ensure volunteers complement healthcare services without undertaking clinical or administrative responsibilities.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Project SARATHI: An initiative utilizing trained youth volunteers to enhance patient experience and community participation in public healthcare.
• MY Bharat: A platform by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports designed to engage youth in nation-building activities.
• ABHA ID: Ayushman Bharat Health Account ID, a unique health identifier for individuals under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.