Vaishnavi Prakash
-This initiative aims to revolutionize and digitise the Indian healthcare system, making it accessible and affordable for all ages.
-It offers medicines at a 50% discount to patients of all ages, regardless of their income.
Surat (Gujarat) [India], March 1: Dr. Milind Ghael of Surat has been silently transforming lives through his non-profit organization, “Akhand Bharat Akhand Healthcare Foundation”. His mission is to ensure accessible and affordable healthcare for all, with a special focus on the most vulnerable – senior citizens.
Explaining the unique initiative, he says that any individual or even organization can first register their name on the ABAH website or ABAH application, providing a few details. They are then issued a unique “Bharat Social Security Number” (BSSN), which is used for accessing various services.
Every month, 10,000 senior citizens across Gujarat receive free, essential medicines for chronic diseases delivered directly to their doorstep via postal department. This service namely “Bharat Social Security for Senior Citizens”, addresses a critical need, alleviating the financial burden of medication for countless elders who often struggle to make ends meet.
“It all started when I saw an elderly couple handing over gold bangles to purchase medicine. I was practicing in Mumbai at that time. I was shocked to the core,” said Dr. Milind.
Dr. Ghael advocates for a digitized healthcare system that delinks affordability from essential care. His foundation under the “Bharat One Nation One Medicine” service, offers medicines for chronic diseases at a 50% discounted rate to patients of all ages, regardless of their income.
Dr. Ghael’s impact goes beyond individual patients. Hospitals in rural and urban areas certified with ABAH under the service “Bharat Hospital Connect”, can get their infrastructure upgraded. Through innovative crowd-funding initiatives, the foundation empowers communities to contribute to the development of advanced infrastructure in hospitals.
Registered BSSN patients aged above 60 years and below 18 years, admitted in general hospital wards, can get financial aid through crowd-funding under “Bharat Patient Connect” with the help of the user-friendly ABAH website or the dedicated ABAH application.
This initiative by Dr. Ghael’s foundation focuses on developing a healthcare ecosystem by bridging the gaps between employees, common people, healthcare professionals and medical institutions.
Driven by an unwavering desire to help more, Dr. Ghael is now setting his sights on national expansion.
“We have been pursuing big players in Pharma Industry as well as donors to scale up our work at the national level,” says Dr. Ghael.
Dr. Ghael’s story is one of compassion, innovation and a relentless pursuit of a healthier nation by building an integrated National Healthcare system in India.
