- In past 12 years, the Government has significantly strengthened India’s health system. It has insured over 44 crore families and operationalised over 1.86 lakh primary care centres. Generic medicines are now available at rates 50–90% below market price through over 18,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras. (PIB)
Ayushman Bharat (2018)
- The Ayushman Bharat architecture rests on four key pillars that collectively strengthen preventive, promotive, curative, and digital healthcare systems across the country.
| PM Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) |
- It provides free public health insurance up to Rs. 5 lakh per family per year to about 40% of the population.
- Ayushman Bharat Vay Vandana: Provides insurance coverage to all senior citizens above 70 years.
- Achievements: Treatment worth Rs. 1,80,435 crore was provided
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| Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM) |
- They provide comprehensive care spanning preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care.
- AAM offers 12 free services. There are 1.86+ lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are functional.
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| Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) |
- It is one of India’s largest pan-national programmes aimed at developing a resilient, accessible, and self-reliant public health system.
- PM-ABHIM is also building India’s pandemic defence architecture. E.g., bio-security preparedness, pandemic research, & disease surveillance; outbreak response & preparedness etc.
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| Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) |
- It is focused on building a comprehensive, citizen-centric digital infrastructure.
- At the heart of ABDM is the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), to which a citizen’s complete health records are linked.
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National Health Mission
- The NHM has 2 sub-missions, National Rural Health Mission & National Urban Health Mission. It has improved public health outcomes across maternal and child health, disease elimination and immunisation.
| Maternal Health |
- Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan: Guarantees free, dignified healthcare to every woman and newborn at public health facilities.
- Midwifery Initiative: Trains Nurse Practitioner Midwives.
- Stillbirth Surveillance and Response: Tracks and reduces stillbirths, targeting fewer than 10 stillbirths per 1,000 births by 2030.
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| Child Health |
- Home Based Newborn Care: ASHA workers conduct home visits after birth to monitor newborn health and enable early referral.
- Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram: Screens children for birth defects, developmental delays, deficiencies, and diseases.
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| Nutrition and Adolescent Health |
- Anaemia Mukt Bharat: Provides iron and folic acid supplementation to pregnant women, children, and adolescents.
- Mothers’ Absolute Affection: Promotes breastfeeding and complementary feeding through frontline health worker training.
- Other: Weekly Iron Folic Acid Supplementation & Menstrual Hygiene Scheme.
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| Mission Indradhanush |
- Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), offering free vaccines against 12 diseases.
- Over 95 per cent of children aged 12–23 months received their vaccinations at a public health facility in 2023–24.
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| Eliminating Communicable Diseases |
- Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (2022): It is the community-led component of the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).
- National Framework for Malaria Elimination: It provides a roadmap for eliminating malaria by 2027.
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| Non-Communicable Diseases |
- Eat Right India (2018): It promotes safe, healthy, and sustainable food.
- Fit India Movement (2019): Encourages people to incorporate fitness into their daily routines.
- National Tobacco Control Programme: India has achieved a 17.3% reduction in overall tobacco use over the past decade.
- India received the Bloomberg Philanthropies Award in 2025 for tobacco control.
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COVID-19 and Pandemic Response
- India’s pandemic response was among the most proactive. India was among the first, globally, to introduce the Rapid Antigen Tests.
- National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme: Over 220 crore doses were administered free of charge.
- Vaccine Maitri: India supplied vaccines to nearly 100 countries, including free vaccines to 48 countries.
Digital and Last-Mile Health Delivery
- eSanjeevani (2019): It connects people directly to specialists sitting in top medical institutes of the country. Since its launch Over 47 crore calls were recorded
- Tele-MANAS (2022): Mental health telemedicine service in 20 languages.
- AI Integration: ‘Cough Against TB’ AI tool identified 12–16% additional TB cases; MadhuNetrAI enabled automated diabetic retinopathy screening.
- i-DRONE for Medicine Delivery (2021): Launched by Indian Council of Medical Research, these drones are used to transport medicines, vaccines and blood samples for testing.
Affordable Medicines
- Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana: 18,000+ Jan Aushadhi Kendras provide generic medicines at 50–90% below market price.
- AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) Pharmacies initiative (2015): These pharmacies provide life-saving and essential medicines at discounts ranging from 50% to 90%.
- Free Essential Diagnostics Initiative (2015): Launched under NHM to address the high out of pocket expenditure on diagnostics.
- Free Diagnostics: Andhra Pradesh was the 1st state to implement the Free Diagnostics Initiative in 2016.
Medical Education Expansion
- Medical colleges more than doubled since 2014; 12 new AIIMS functional.
- 157 new nursing colleges are being established alongside the new medical colleges.
A healthier population is not only a moral achievement — it is an economic one. When people are not pushed into poverty by medical bills, they spend more on their development. When workers are not lost to preventable disease, they are more productive at work. When children survive their first years and grow up well-nourished, they learn, earn, and contribute.
