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NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has contributed more than half of the WHO's global target to give healthcare coverage by bringing 55 crore people under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, BJP president J P Nadda said on Saturday.

Nadda, a former Union health minister, also said the government aims to open 1.5 lakh health and wellness centres across the country.

"The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it will bring 100 crore people under healthcare coverage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already given that to 55 crore people through the Ayushman Bharat Scheme," he said.

"It means Modi ji has contributed to over 50 per cent of the world's agenda single-handedly here in India," Nadda said on the occasion of Jan Aushadhi Diwas.

The BJP chief said 55 crore people have been given health coverage of Rs 5 lakh each under the scheme.

On the occasion, the prime minister interacted with some Jan Aushadhi Kendra owners and Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojna (PMBJP) beneficiaries through a video conferencing session, which was attended by Nadda at Krishna Nagar.

"In nearly 700 districts, through 6,700 Jan Aushadhi outlets, medicines worth around Rs 2,200 crore were provided to people at a cost of just Rs 390 crore, in 2019-20," Nadda said.

The prime minister has tried to help the common man with good quality and affordable medicines through these outlets, he said. In 472 districts, 825 dialysis centres have been opened through which 5.80 lakh people have benefited, the BJP president said, adding that poor people are being provided free dialysis through 4,920 machines throughout the country.

Nadda said around 20,000 health and wellness centres have already been opened and 25,000 more are to be opened this year. In 2014, when the BJP came to power at the Centre, only 100 medicines were in the national list of essential medicines whose prices are determined by the government, he said.

"This number has now been raised to 350 at present. A committee has also been set up so that such medicines that are important for many people are brought under the list," Nadda said.

He claimed that due to various initiatives and schemes of the Modi government, the average monthly expenditure of households on medicines has come down from up to Rs 8,000 to around Rs 1,200.

Modi's video conferencing programme attended at many places in the city by BJP leaders, including Delhi president Manoj Tiwari and MPs.

