Vidur Foundation · Knowledge Pillar
Health स्वास्थ्य
Healthcare in India is a patchwork of public schemes, private hospitals, and community health workers. Understanding what you are entitled to — Ayushman Bharat, Jan Aushadhi, ASHA services — and how to access it is the first step toward better health.
Health
13 Articles
Heart Disease in India: How to Recognise a Heart Attack, Prevent It, and Access Free Government Heart Care
India has the world's highest burden of heart disease — 28% of all deaths in India are caused by cardiovascular disease, and Indians get heart attacks on average 10 years younger than Europeans. Every 33 seconds, an Indian dies of a heart attack. Yet most heart attacks are preventable, most warning signs are ignored for hours before emergency care is sought, and most Indians do not know that Ayushman Bharat covers heart surgery for free. This guide covers the warning signs that are often missed, the five modifiable risk factors that cause 80% of Indian heart attacks, exactly what to do in the first 10 minutes of a suspected heart attack, and how to access free cardiac care.
Mental Health in India: How to Recognise Depression and Anxiety — and Where to Get Free Help Right Now
India has 197 million people living with mental health disorders — the highest absolute number in the world. Less than 20% receive any treatment. The reasons include stigma, lack of awareness, and the false belief that mental health problems are personal weakness, not medical conditions. This guide explains what depression and anxiety actually look like, how to recognise them in yourself or someone you love, and exactly how to access free, confidential mental health support in India — including the national helpline that operates 24/7 in your language.
Living with Diabetes in India: The Complete Guide to Diet, Exercise, Medication, and Free Government Support
India has 101 million diabetics — the most in the world — and millions more who are prediabetic and don't know it. Diabetes is serious but highly manageable: the right diet, 30 minutes of daily walking, proper medication, and regular monitoring can prevent blindness, kidney failure, amputation, and heart attack. This guide gives every Indian family with diabetes the complete, practical, evidence-based management plan — including free government medicine and monitoring available at health centres.
Your Child's Vaccination Calendar: The Complete Guide Every Indian Parent Must Read
Every year, thousands of children in India die or are disabled by diseases that a ₹0 vaccine could have prevented. This guide explains the full Universal Immunization Programme calendar — what vaccine is due at what age, how to get every vaccine free at a government centre, what to expect after each shot, and what to do if your child has missed vaccines.
eSanjeevani: See a Doctor for Free by Video Call — Without Leaving Home
You don't always need to travel, wait in a queue, or pay a fee to see a doctor. eSanjeevani, the government's free national telemedicine service, connects you to a qualified doctor by video call from your own phone, and gives you a valid prescription — all at no cost. Here is exactly how to use it.
Ayushman Vay Vandana: Free ₹5 Lakh Hospital Cover for Every Indian Aged 70+
Since October 2024, every Indian aged 70 or above gets ₹5 lakh a year of free hospital treatment — no matter how rich or poor, and even if you already have other insurance. All you need is an Aadhaar card. Here is exactly how to get the Ayushman Vay Vandana card for your parents and grandparents.
₹11,000+ Cash for Pregnant Women: How to Claim PMMVY and JSY — Complete Guide
The Indian government gives cash directly to pregnant women and new mothers — ₹5,000 under PMMVY for first pregnancy, ₹6,000 under JSY for hospital delivery, and additional support under Mission Shakti. Together these can total ₹11,000 or more per delivery. Most eligible women never claim this money because nobody told them it exists. This guide shows you exactly how.
How to Read Your Blood Test Report: Every Number Explained in Plain Language
Your doctor gives you a blood test report full of numbers, abbreviations, and ranges. Most people fold it and forget it. This guide explains every major test in simple language — CBC, blood sugar, HbA1c, thyroid (TSH), lipid profile, kidney function, and liver function — what each number means, what 'normal' actually is, and what to watch for.
Tele-MANAS: Free Mental Health Counselling by Phone — No Psychiatrist Bill, No Appointment
India has one psychiatrist for every 2 lakh people. Tele-MANAS — 14416 — gives every citizen access to trained counsellors and psychiatrists by phone, free, in 20+ languages. It is the most underused health benefit in India right now. Here is what it offers, who it is for, and every other free helpline you should know.
TB Treatment Is Free in India — and the Government Will Pay You ₹500 a Month to Get Well
India has the world's highest TB burden, yet treatment — drugs, tests, even monthly cash support — is completely free at government health centres. Most patients still pay private doctors or abandon treatment halfway. This guide tells you what you are entitled to and exactly how to claim it.
The Golden Hour: What to Do in a Medical Emergency — Numbers, First Steps, and Your Rights
In an accident, a heart attack, or a stroke, the first hour decides who lives. Yet most families don't know the free ambulance number, the first steps that save a life, or that no hospital may refuse an emergency. This is knowledge every single person should carry.
The Same Medicine for a Fifth of the Price: How Jan Aushadhi Cuts Your Family's Medicine Bill
For a family managing diabetes, blood pressure, or any long-term illness, medicines are a monthly wound to the budget. Quality generic medicines — the same drug, the same effect — cost 50 to 80% less at Jan Aushadhi Kendras. Here is how they work, why they are safe, and how to use them.
Ayushman Bharat: The ₹5 Lakh Health Cover Most Eligible Families Still Haven't Claimed
Over 55 crore Indians are entitled to ₹5 lakh of free hospital treatment every year under PM-JAY — yet crores of eligible families have never made a card, and many who have one don't know what it actually covers. Here is the complete, practical guide.
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