In an effort to effectively combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Himachal Pradesh, the state National Health Mission (NHM) will soon launch electronic health cards for all patients at the panchayat level.

Besides this unique initiative, a new universal health insurance scheme to provide medical reimbursement up to Rs 30,000 to patients will also be launched on August 2 by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

While the e-health card will cover diseases like hypertension, sugar, high blood pressure, heart diseases, etc., the subscribers of universal health insurance scheme will have to pay an annual premium of Rs 365 to get the coverage of up to Rs 30,000.

According to a senior NHM official, while schemes like Chief Minister Swasthya Bima Yojna and Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna targeted handicapped, old people and the below poverty line families, there was no healthcare scheme for the non-poor population.

The NHM also plans to launch a special measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) campaign and a programme to provide free insulin to diabetic children up to 18 years of age.