In order to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25 October launched PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission in Varanasi.
The objective of this mission is to fill the gaps in public health infrastructure, especially in critical care facilities and primary care in both urban and rural areas.
This mission is the largest pan-India Health Infrastructure Scheme, launched with an outlay of ₹64,180 crore in the Budget 2021-22.
While addressing the gathering, PM Modi said the country has achieved a major milestone of 100 crore vaccine doses in its fight against the corona epidemic.
Three major objectives of this mission that will address different gaps in the health sector of the country are;
- Health and Wellness Centers in every corner of India
Under the first aspect, related to the creation of elaborate facilities for diagnostics and treatment, Health and Wellness Centers are being opened in villages and cities, where there will be facilities for early detection of diseases. Facilities like free medical consultation, free tests, free medicine will be available in these centres. For serious illness, 35 thousand new critical care-related beds are being added in 600 districts and referral facilities will be given in 125 districts.
- Ramping up the testing network for the diagnosis of diseases
The second aspect of the scheme is related to the testing network for the diagnosis of diseases. Under this mission, the necessary infrastructure will be developed for the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. The Prime Minister informed that 730 districts of the country will get Integrated Public Health labs and 3 thousand blocks will get Block Public Health Units. Apart from that, 5 Regional National Centers for Disease Control, 20 Metropolitan units, and 15 BSL labs will further strengthen this network.
- Expansion of existing research institutions
The Third aspect of this Mission focuses upon the expansion of existing research institutions that study pandemics. The government will work towards strengthening of existing 80 Viral Diagnostic and research labs in addition to operationalization of 15 Biosafety level and 15 labs.
The government has notified about the establishment of 4 new National institutes of Virology and a National Institute for One Health. WHO regional research platform for South Asia will also strengthen this network.
PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission also aims at the Operationalisation of 17 new Public Health Units and strengthening 33 existing Public Health Units at Points of Entry, for effectively detecting, investigating, preventing, and combating Public Health Emergencies and Disease Outbreaks.
Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya informed that in order to ensure better primary healthcare facilities, 1,50,000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres are in line to be set up, of which around 79,000 are already functioning. Moreover, the government is also ensuring that every district has at least one medical college wherein 157 medical colleges have already been sanctioned
Through PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission an entire ecosystem for services from treatment to critical research will be created in every corner of the country.
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