Guwahati: The Arunachal Pradesh Cabinet on Friday approved the launch of CM CARES (Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Action for Resilient, Equitable & Healthy State), an umbrella initiative aimed at strengthening healthcare, social protection, and citizen welfare across the state.
The initiative will focus on improving healthcare access, financial protection, and coordination among existing welfare schemes.
Under CM CARES, the government will strengthen flagship programmes, including the Chief Minister Arogya Arunachal Yojana (CMAAY), CM Organ Transplant Services (CMOTS), CM Health Emergency Life Protection Services (CM HELPS), CM Free Chemotherapy Services, and CM Social Security Schemes (CMSSS).
The Cabinet also approved the expansion of patient support facilities, including patient guest houses and referral services. Under CMAAY, financial assistance for renal, liver, and bone marrow transplants has been increased by Rs 2.5 lakh each over the existing coverage.
The scheme will also include specialised procedures such as cochlear implantation and corneal transplantation.
CM CARES will also focus on early identification and management of developmental disorders among children, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, through improved screening, referral, and intervention systems.
The initiative will follow the Holistic Ecosystem for Active Living & Wellness (HEAL) framework, aimed at promoting preventive healthcare and overall wellbeing.
The Cabinet also approved Mission SURAKSHA (State Unified Response Against Drugs, Substance Harm & Addiction) to strengthen the state’s response to substance abuse and related health and social challenges.
The mission will integrate prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, recovery, and enforcement measures through a coordinated approach. It will build on existing services such as opioid substitution therapy, antiretroviral therapy, de-addiction centres, rehabilitation programmes, and community-based recovery initiatives.
Mission SURAKSHA will operate through three pillars: Demand Reduction, Harm Reduction, and Supply Reduction.
The Cabinet also approved district-level task forces, SATARK mechanisms, Sankalp community reporting systems, and rapid-response teams to support implementation.
The Cabinet further approved the launch of Ayushman Aarogya Shivir, a 30-day statewide health camp initiative aimed at improving healthcare delivery, particularly in remote areas.
The campaign will focus on preventive, promotive, and curative healthcare services, with special emphasis on tuberculosis elimination through screening, active case detection, early diagnosis, and timely treatment.
The health camps will bring multiple services under one platform, including TB care, maternal and child healthcare, immunisation, non-communicable disease screening, mental health services, eye and oral care, elderly care, nutrition services, AYUSH services, and Ayushman Bharat enrolment.
The Cabinet also urged MLAs, panchayat representatives, and municipal bodies to support the TB Mukt Arunachal Pradesh mission by adopting TB patients under the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative in their respective constituencies.