India raises free health cover for citizens aged above 70 years

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India expanded a government programme late Wednesday to provide citizens aged 70 and above with annual medical insurance coverage of 500,000 rupees ($6,000) per family, fulfilling a key poll promise by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The new plan is expected to benefit an additional 60 million people, adding to Modi's 2018 healthcare initiative which already covers more than half a billion citizens, according to a government statement.

Touted as the world’s largest healthcare programme, it offers free treatment for serious illnesses, already providing poor families with an annual cover of 500,000 rupees.

The new measure, which the government said will extend to all citizens, is Modi's latest attempt to overhaul a public health system struggling with a shortage of hospitals and doctors.

Despite these initiatives, India's healthcare spending has remained under 2% in the last decade, one of the lowest globally.

($1 = 83.9730 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Shivangi Acharya; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee)