For enabling environment for ensuring the ‘Health for all’ the National Health Policy 2017 envisages to provide universal access to good quality healthcare services through increasing access, increasing affordability by lowering the cost of healthcare delivery and equity. The policy envisages as its goal the attainment of the highest possible level of health and well-being for all at all ages, through a preventive and promotive healthcare orientation in all developmental policies, and universal access to good quality healthcare services without anyone having to face financial hardship as a consequence. The Policy is centered on the key principles of Equity; Affordability; Universality; Patient Centeredness & Quality of care; accountability; Inclusive partnerships; Pluralism and decentralization.

The Central Govt. has taken several initiatives for supplementing the efforts of the State for providing quality and affordable healthcare services to the people.

Under National Health Mission, the Government has taken many steps towards universal health coverage by supporting the State Government in providing accessible & affordable healthcare to people. It encompasses the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) as its two Sub-Missions. Under the National Health Mission, financial and technical support is provided to States/UTs to provide accessible, affordable and quality healthcare, especially to the poor and vulnerable sections of the population, in both urban and rural areas. The National Health Mission provides support for improvement in health infrastructure, availability of adequate human resources to man health facilities, to improve availability and accessibility to quality health care especially for the underserved and marginalized groups in rural areas.

The Government has launched four mission mode projects, namely PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), Ayushman Bharat Health & Wellness Centres (ABHWCs), Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

PM-ABHIM was launched to develop the capacities of primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare systems, strengthen existing national institutions and create new institutions to cater to detection and cure of new and emerging diseases. PM-ABHIM is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with some Central Sector Components. The scheme has an outlay of Rs. 64,180 crore.

Under Ayushman Bharat Health & Wellness Centres(HWCs), Comprehensive Primary healthcare by strengthening Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) are facilitated. The HWCs provide preventive, promotive, rehabilitative and curative care for an expanded range of services encompassing Reproductive and child healthcare services, Communicable diseases, Non-communicable diseases and other health issues.

PMJAY provides health coverage of Rs.5.00 lakh per family per year to around 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families for secondary and tertiary care as per Socio Economic Caste Census data 2011. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is aimed at developing the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country.

The Government has taken various steps to further increase the availability of doctors in the country, particularly in underserved regions. The number of UG seats have increased from 51,348 before 2014 to 91927 seats as on date which is an increase of 79%. The numbers of PG seats have increased by 93% from 31,185 seats before 2014 to 60202 seats.

Further, in order to provide medical facilities in the country, the Government has approved, setting up of 22 AIIMS and 75 projects of upgradation of Government Medical Colleges under PMSSY in various phases.

Under the scheme for ‘Establishment of new Medical Colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’, 157 new medical colleges have been approved in the country in three phases and 72 are already functional.

Recognizing the need to nurture AYUSH system, the National AYUSH Mission (NAM) is implemented in States/UTs for development and promotion of AYUSH systems. 12,500 Ayush Health and Wellness Centers are targeted for operationalization as a component of NAM through State/UT Governments in a phased manner by the year 2023-24.

The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.