Union Minister JP Nadda meets Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma at his residence in Jaipur
Jaipur, August 9
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda met Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma at the latter's residence on Sunday.
The Chief Minister, along with senior BJP leaders and state ministers, extended a warm welcome to the Union Minister Nadda.
"Today, at the Chief Minister's residence, a warm welcome was extended to the Honorable Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri @JPNadda ji," said Bhajanlal Sharma.
Deputy Chief Ministers Diya Kumari and Dr Premchand Bairwa, Rajasthan Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar and Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani were also present on this occasion.
"During this occasion, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Shri @VasudevDevnani ji, the State President Shri @madanrrathore ji, the Deputy Chief Minister Shri @DrPremBairwa ji, and Smt. @KumariDiya ji, along with other distinguished guests, were present," added Bhajanlal Sharma.
Additionally, BJP State President Madan Rathore, State Organisation General Secretary Ajey Kumar, MPs Ghanshyam Tiwari and Manju Sharma, and other BJP leaders and office-bearers also attended the meeting.
Earlier, Union Health Minister JP Nadda on August 1 chaired a high-level meeting to assess the scope for expanding Project SARATHI across hospitals and medical institutions in the country.
The meeting reviewed the implementation and impact of Project SARATHI at PGIMER, Chandigarh, and deliberated on its replication across Central Government hospitals and other healthcare institutions.
During the meeting, Nadda emphasised that patient-centric healthcare extends beyond clinical care and includes ensuring that patients and their attendants receive timely guidance, assistance and compassionate support during their hospital journey.
He highlighted that Project SARATHI has demonstrated how structured volunteer engagement can improve patient convenience while enabling healthcare professionals to focus more effectively on clinical responsibilities.
The Ministers were briefed on the outcomes of the initiative at PGIMER, Chandigarh, where SARATHI volunteers have supported patients with hospital navigation, wheelchair and stretcher assistance, guidance for diagnostic services and other non-clinical support.
The meeting also reviewed the integration of Project SARATHI with the MY Bharat initiative of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and discussed mechanisms to institutionalise youth participation in healthcare institutions through structured orientation, training and digital monitoring systems. The role of digital platforms in volunteer registration, attendance, patient feedback and support for ABHA ID creation was also highlighted.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and other concerned stakeholders, including Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary; Vijay Nehra, Additional Secretary, MoHFW; Kiran Gopal Vaska, Joint Secretary & MD (ABDM), National Health Authority; Dr. Nirupam Madaan, Medical Superintendent, AIIMS New Delhi; Dr. Akhilandeswari Prasad, Director, ABVIMS & Dr. RML Hospital, New Delhi; Dr. Kavita Rani Sharma, Director, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi; Dr. Himani Ahluwalia, Director, Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) and doctors from central hospitals.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Project SARATHI sounds like a genuinely useful initiative! Having volunteers to help patients navigate big hospitals is something we desperately need. I've seen elderly patients get lost in AIIMS-style facilities — this will make a real difference. 👏
This is typical political theatre. Nadda ji comes to Jaipur, meets the CM, shakes hands, and then flies back to Delhi. Meanwhile, the actual healthcare crisis in Rajasthan continues — shortage of doctors in district hospitals, long queues at OPDs. I wish leaders would spend less time on such formalities and more on solving ground-level issues.
Interesting to see the emphasis on youth volunteers through Project SARATHI and MY Bharat. In many developed countries, hospital volunteering is a common practice among students. If implemented well, this could be a win-win — patients get help and young people get valuable experience. Hopefully the digital monitoring aspect works smoothly!
Big names in one room — Nadda, Bhajanlal, Diya Kumari, Madan Rathore... but what about the common man? These meetings should also include doctors, nurses, and patients who can share their actual experiences. Sasta vada, mehenga vishwas — we've heard too many promises already. Let's see some concrete action on Project SARATHI outside Chandigarh first.
As someone who has witnessed the chaos at RML and Safdarjung hospitals, I can say SARATHI is the need of the hour. The focus on helping patients navigate diagnostics, wheelchair assistance, and creating ABHA IDs is commendable. I just hope the volunteers are trained well and not just used as photo props. 🙏