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Affordable and Accessible Healthcare for All

Introduction

The Government of India is committed toward the well-being of its citizens. To build an Aatmanirbhar Bharat through “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayaas” or inclusive development, the government is implementing wide-reaching health programs to ensure that people are healthy and taken care of. Much progress has been made on various health schemes by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Health Infrastructure and Digital Transformation

 

PM–Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM)   

Launched in October 2021 to strengthen India’s public health infrastructure, surveillance, and pandemic preparedness across primary, secondary, and tertiary care levels.

• Approval covers construction and upgradation of 10,609 Building-less Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs).
• 5,456 Urban Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (U-AAMs) to be strengthened under the initiative.
• 2,151 Block Public Health Units (BPHUs) approved for construction/upgradation.
• ⁠744 Integrated Public Health Laboratories (IPHLs) to be established at district level.
• ⁠621 Critical Care Blocks (CCBs) included in the infrastructure development plan

Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PM SSY)

To correct regional imbalances in affordable tertiary healthcare services and augment quality medical education facilities

• New AIIMS: 22 approved; undergraduate courses started in 19
• Medical College Upgradation: 75 projects approved under PMSSY scheme

 

Medical Education Expansion (2014 to August 8, 2025)

• Medical Colleges: Increased from 387 to 780
• UG seats: Increased from 51,348 to 1,15,900
• PG seats: Increased from 31,185 to 74,306

 

Healthcare Workforce and Medical College Schemes

• Registered allopathic doctors: 13,86,157 (as per National Medical Commission)
• AYUSH practitioners: 7,51,768 (as per Ministry of AYUSH)
• Doctor-population ratio: 1:811 (assuming 80% availability in both systems)
• New Medical Colleges: 131 functional out of 157 approved under Centrally Sponsored Scheme for establishment by upgrading district/referral hospitals
• Super Specialty Blocks: 75 projects approved under PMSSY, 71 projects complete

 

Healthcare for All – Universal Healthcare Coverage

 

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)

Launched in September 2018, Ayushman Bharat is the world's largest government-funded health protection scheme. 

 

• 79.75 crore ABHA IDs have been created and 65.34 crore Electronic Health Records have been linked in various health portals as of August 1, 2025.

National Health Mission

The National Health Mission (NHM), with its two sub-missions — National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) — is the flagship programme of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It aims to provide universal access to affordable, equitable, and quality healthcare, supporting States/UTs in strengthening public health systems.

 

• Maternal Mortality Rate: According to the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (UN-MMEIG) report, India has demonstrated an 86% decline in MMR
• Infant Mortality has declined by 73% as against a global decline of 58%

 

Preventive Healthcare and Wellness

Food Safety

 

FSSAI lays down science-based standards for food articles and regulates manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import for safe and wholesome food.

 

Eat Right India Initiative

• Total inspections: 13,48,02 inspections conducted (2022-23 to 2024-25)
• Street food vendor training: More than 3 lakh vendors trained under Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) programme launched in 2017 as of August 8, 2025.
• Specialized course: "Street Food Vending" awareness course developed under FoSTaC
• Eat Right Street Food Hubs: 405 certified under cluster-based initiative for food safety education as of August 8, 2025.
• Mobile Food Testing Labs: 305 deployed across 35 States/UTs for on-spot testing, training, and awareness as of August 8, 2025.

 

Specialized Care and Disease Management

 

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Programs

 

National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD)

 

Part of National Health Mission (NHM) focusing on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, screening, early diagnosis, referral, treatment, and health promotion for NCDs including hypertension and diabetes.

 

Infrastructure (as on 31st March 2025):

• State NCD Cells: 36
• District NCD Divisions: 753
• District NCD Clinics: 770
• Cardiac Care Units (CCU): 233
• District Day Care Centers: 364
• CHC NCD Clinics: 6,410

 

Cancer Care Initiatives

 

Tertiary Cancer Care

Critical hubs for advanced cancer care, diagnosis, research, and capacity building with specialized infrastructure and expert manpower

 

• State Cancer Institutes (SCIs): 19 approved (up to ₹120 crore funding each including State share)
• Tertiary Cancer Care Centres (TCCCs): 20 approved (up to ₹45 crore funding each including State share)

 

Mental Health Services

 

National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) (progress as on August 1, 2025):

 

• District Mental Health Programme: Sanctioned for 767 districts with support through National Health Mission
• Services at CHC/PHC level: Outpatient services, assessment, counselling/psycho-social interventions, continuing care and support for severe mental disorders, drugs, outreach services, ambulance services
• Inpatient facility: 10-bedded facility at district level
• Centres of Excellence: 25 sanctioned for tertiary care to increase PG student intake and provide tertiary treatment
• Medical College Support: 19 Government medical colleges/institutions supported to strengthen 47 PG departments in mental health specialties

 

Training and Education

• Clinical Psychology courses: 69 institutions/universities approved by RCI for M.Phil., Professional Diploma, Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology)
• Rehabilitation Psychology: 9 institutions/universities approved for M.Phil. (Rehabilitation Psychology)
• New programs: B.Sc. (Clinical Psychology) and M.A. (Clinical Psychology) launched from academic session 2024-25

 

Primary Healthcare Integration

• Ayushman Arogya Mandirs: More than 1.77 lakh Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) upgraded
• Mental health services added to Comprehensive Primary Health Care packages at these Ayushman Arogya Mandirs
• Operational guidelines and training manuals released for Mental, Neurological, and substance use disorders (MNS) under Ayushman Bharat

 

National Tele Mental Health Programme

• Launch: 10th October 2022
• Coverage: 36 States/UTs with 53 Tele MANAS Cells operational (as of 17.07.2025)
• Calls handled: More than 23,82,000 calls on helpline number

 

Affordable Healthcare and Financial Assistance

 

Affordable Medicines

 

• Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana operates 16,000+ Jan Aushadhi Kendras offering 2,047 generic medicines at 50-90% lower prices than market rates. Citizens have saved over ₹38,000 crore on medicine purchases.

 

• AMRIT Pharmacies support tertiary healthcare by providing affordable medicines, surgical items, and medical implants at major public health institutions, serving over 6 crore citizens.

 

• Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram promotes free institutional delivery and has served over 16.60 crore beneficiaries since 2014-15. The Janani Suraksha Yojana has benefitted over 11.07 crore women through conditional cash transfers for institutional deliveries.

 

• Comprehensive Cancer Care Program has conducted massive screening campaigns with 31.70 crore oral cancer screenings, 16.68 crore breast cancer screenings, and 9.97 crore cervical cancer screenings. The government has invested over ₹3,000 crore in establishing 19 State Cancer Institutes and 20 Tertiary Cancer Care Centres.

Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi

 

Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) provides financial assistance to poor patients. Only persons below the poverty line suffering from specified life-threatening disease can avail the scheme.

 

Health Minister's Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF)

 

• Financial assistance: Up to ₹15 lakh for cancer treatment for poor patients
• 2024-25 disbursement: ₹27.06 crores under Umbrella Scheme of RAN (includes HMCPF component)
• 2025-26 (till 16.07.2025): 134 poor patients benefited with ₹9.14 crores disbursed

 

Child and Maternal Health Programs

 

Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK)

 

RBSK is one of its kind program to improve the overall quality of life of children enabling all children achieve their full potential; and provide comprehensive care to all the children in the community.

• Impact: Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) in rural areas declined from 51 per 1,000 live births (2014) to 34 per 1,000 live births (2022) per Sample Registration System report

 

Vaccination Programs

 

COVID-19 Vaccination

• Achievement: Over 220 crore doses administered - establishing fastest and biggest vaccination program

 

Mission Indradhanush

• Coverage: 5.46 crore children and 1.32 crore pregnant women vaccinated in all phases conducted as of December 2024

 

Elderly Health and Healthcare for Disabled People

 

National Programme for Healthcare of the Elderly (NPHCE) Scheme

 

Easily accessible and affordable healthcare services are being provided to the elderly above 60 years of the age at primary, secondary and tertiary care levels.

 

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY)

 

The Union Cabinet approved a major expansion of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) on September 11, 2024. Under this decision, all senior citizens aged 70 and above will receive health coverage, regardless of their income. This expansion is set to benefit around 4.5 crore families, including 6 crore senior citizens, by providing them with free health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family.

 

NIRAMAYA Health Insurance Scheme

 

Niramaya Health Insurance Scheme provides affordable health insurance for PwD, offering up to Rs. 1 lakh coverage without pre-insurance medical test.

 

Conclusion

 

India's healthcare transformation over the past decade represents one of the most comprehensive and impactful public health initiatives undertaken by any nation. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has successfully operationalized the principle of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayaas" to create an inclusive healthcare ecosystem that reaches every citizen, particularly the most vulnerable and underserved populations.

 

SK/RK

 

References

• Steps taken to assist cancer patients under Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN): https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2154159
• Steps taken to Control Hypertension and Diabeteshttps://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2155451
• Update on progress achieved under NPCDCS: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2152535
• Steps taken to strengthen the public healthcare system: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2154166
• Steps taken to Improve Medical Education: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2148365
• Update on Day Care Cancer Centres: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2148368
• Update on thalassemia patients registered across country: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2149694
• Union Health Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda addresses the 15th Indian Organ Donation Day Ceremony: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2151756
• Update on Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Program: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2151237
• Steps taken to Improve Mental Healthcare: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2151235
• Steps taken to Prevent Sale of Adulterated Drugs: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2155448
• Steps taken to boost food safety standards: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2154157
• Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Smt. Anupriya Patel graces the Annual Convocation Ceremony of Lady Hardinge Medical College: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2147755
• Update on Mission Indradhanush: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2085204
• Update on India’s achievements in eliminating and controlling major infectious diseases: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2146800
• Affordable and Accessible Healthcare for All: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=154668&ModuleId=3
• 10.18 Crore Women Screened for Cervical Cancer Under Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and NHM: https://www.mohfw.gov.in/?q=en/pressrelease-279#:~:text=As%20of%2020th%20July%202025,preventive%20healthcare%20delivery%20through%20Ayushman
• National Health Mission: https://nhm.gov.in

· Update on Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY): https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=2116209

· Ministry of health: https://www.mohfw.gov.in

· PM-JAY: https://pmjay.gov.in  

· About Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY): https://nha.gov.in/PM-JAY

· Senior Citizen Welfare: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2039569

· Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY): https://www.india.gov.in/spotlight/ayushman-bharat-pradhan-mantri-jan-arogya-yojana

· Steps taken for Persons with Disabilities: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2155450

• National Health Mission: https://nhm.gov.in/MIS-NHM/2024-25/dec-24/National_Overview.pdf  

 

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