Affordable and Accessible Healthcare for All

Key Highlights:

• Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) provides ₹5 lakh health insurance to over 45.5 crore beneficiaries, covering 12.69 crore hospitalizations.
• Over 1.86 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) are functional across the country, offering 12 free primary healthcare services.
• The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) has created 96.43 crore ABHA health identity numbers and linked over 110 crore health records.
• Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) declined to 87 per 1,00,000 live births in 2022-24 from 130 in 2014-16.
• New Tuberculosis (TB) cases reduced by 21% from 2015-2024, and India exited WHO's 'High Burden to High Impact' group for malaria in 2024.
• Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) operates over 18,646 Jan Aushadhi Kendras, providing generic medicines at 50-80% lower prices.
• The number of medical colleges has doubled to 818, and 12 new AIIMS have become functional since 2014, bringing the total to 23.

Detailed Insights:

• AB-PMJAY has empanelled over 38,466 public and private hospitals and covers 1.20 crore senior citizens under the Ayushman Bharat Vay Vandana scheme.
• The Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) supports the establishment of rural and urban health and wellness centres, public health units, and critical care blocks.
• The National Health Mission (NHM), comprising the National Rural Health Mission and National Urban Health Mission, delivers targeted health interventions for various diseases and populations.
• Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan has enabled over 7.91 crore free antenatal check-ups, significantly improving maternal health indicators.
• The Universal Immunisation Programme and Mission Indradhanush have boosted vaccination coverage, with the U-WIN platform launched in October 2024 for digital vaccination records.
• A three-month campaign in February 2026 provided free HPV vaccines to 52.10 lakh girls aged 14 years to combat cervical cancer.
• The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) conducts extensive screening drives for hypertension, diabetes, and various cancers.
• The Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme has provided free dialysis to 32.44 lakh patients across 1,856 centres since its launch in 2016.
• AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) Pharmacies offer life-saving medicines at 50-90% discounts, resulting in cumulative savings of about ₹8,400 crore for patients.
• eSanjeevani, India's national telemedicine platform, has delivered over 49 crore consultations, with 28.2 crore supported by AI-enabled Clinical Decision Support Systems.
• Tele-MANAS, launched in October 2022, provides mental health services through a toll-free helpline (14416) in 20 languages across all states and UTs.
• The i-DRONE service, launched in 2021, has delivered 22,000 medicines and vaccines by drone over 7,700 kilometres.
• The Ministry of AYUSH, formed in November 2014, has established 942 AYUSH institutions and is developing the Ayush Grid to digitally integrate traditional healthcare systems.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Ayushman Bharat: A flagship national health protection scheme providing health coverage and strengthening healthcare infrastructure.
• National Health Mission (NHM): A comprehensive program for improving health outcomes, particularly in rural and urban areas, through various sub-missions.
• Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP): A large-scale public health program providing free vaccines against 12 preventable diseases to children and pregnant women.