New Delhi: HL July 21, 2026
The Government of India has reinforced its commitment to universal healthcare by expanding primary health services, strengthening non-communicable disease (NCD) care, and widening health insurance coverage under the National Health Mission (NHM) and Ayushman Bharat initiatives.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, technical and financial assistance is being provided to States and Union Territories to improve healthcare infrastructure, disease prevention, diagnostics, and treatment through approved Programme Implementation Plans under the NHM.
A key pillar of this effort is the nationwide network of 1.86 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs), which are delivering comprehensive primary healthcare by upgrading Sub Health Centres and Primary Health Centres. These facilities offer preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative services, covering maternal and child health, communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases and other essential healthcare needs.
To tackle the growing burden of lifestyle and chronic illnesses, the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) has established 770 District NCD Clinics, 524 Day Care Cancer Centres, 233 Cardiac Care Units and 6,410 Community Health Centre-based NCD Clinics across the country. Population-based screening for common NCDs has also been expanded under comprehensive primary healthcare services.
The government has further extended the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) to include six crore senior citizens aged 70 years and above, covering nearly 4.5 crore families irrespective of their economic status through the Vay Vandana Card. The scheme continues to provide health insurance coverage of up to Rs. 5 lakh per family annually for eligible beneficiaries requiring secondary and tertiary hospitalisation.
The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is also advancing digital healthcare by enabling secure electronic health records and seamless data sharing across healthcare providers. Teleconsultation services available through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are helping patients access specialist care closer to their homes.
In addition, the government is strengthening healthcare infrastructure through the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), backed by an investment of over Rs. 64,000 crore, while continuing flagship programmes such as free drugs and diagnostics, ambulance services, dialysis services, TB elimination, universal immunisation, anaemia control and maternal and child health initiatives.
The Ministry said these integrated measures are aimed at improving healthcare accessibility, reducing out-of-pocket expenditure and ensuring quality health services for people across urban and rural India.
