Overview
- Ayushman Bharat is a flagship health sector reform programme of the Government of India, launched in 2018.
- It aims to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in line with the National Health Policy, 2017 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly the principle of “leave no one behind”.
- The programme adopts a continuum of care approach, covering preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative healthcare across all levels.
Key Components of Ayushman Bharat
1. Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) – Primary Healthcare Pillar
- Upgraded Sub-Health Centres, Primary Health Centres (PHCs), and Urban PHCs to deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC).
- Earlier known as Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs).
- Aim to address 80–90% of an individual’s lifetime healthcare needs at the primary level.
Services Provided
- Reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health services.
- Prevention, screening, and management of non-communicable diseases (hypertension, diabetes, common cancers).
- Communicable disease management.
- Mental health, geriatric care, palliative care, trauma care.
- Wellness services such as yoga, health promotion, and population-based screening.
Service Delivery
- Community outreach and early detection.
- Referral linkage, treatment adherence, and follow-up care.
- Local availability of essential medicines and diagnostics.
2. Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) – Health Insurance Pillar
- World’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme.
- Provides ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation.
- Targets poor and vulnerable families identified using SECC 2011 deprivation and occupational criteria.
Key Features
- Cashless and paperless treatment at empanelled public and private hospitals.
- No restriction on family size, age, or gender.
- Covers all pre-existing diseases from day one.
- Nationwide portability, enabling access to healthcare across India.
Recent Expansion
- Introduction of Ayushman Vay Vandana Card for citizens aged 70 years and above.
- Expansion to additional states has strengthened national coverage.
3. Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM)
- A centrally sponsored scheme launched in 2021 with a large financial outlay to strengthen public health infrastructure.
- Focuses on capacity building across primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare, beyond the National Health Mission.
Key Focus Areas
- Creation and upgradation of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and Urban Health Centres.
- Establishment of Block Public Health Units and District Integrated Public Health Laboratories.
- Development of Critical Care Hospital Blocks.
- Strengthening pandemic preparedness, disease surveillance, and emergency response.
- Promotes the One Health approach for zoonotic disease prevention and control.
4. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)
- Launched in 2021 to create a citizen-centric digital health ecosystem.
- Enables secure, consent-based access and sharing of health records.
Core Components
- ABHA ID for citizens.
- Health Facility Registry (HFR) and Healthcare Professional Registry (HPR).
- Digital systems for consent management and interoperability.
Significance
- Ensures continuity of care through longitudinal health records.
- Supports telemedicine, digital claims, and health data portability.
- Emphasises data privacy and security through a federated architecture.
Overall Significance
- Reduces out-of-pocket expenditure and financial hardship due to health costs.
- Strengthens primary healthcare, preventing disease progression and reducing hospital burden.
- Improves equity, accessibility, and efficiency in healthcare delivery.
- Acts as a key instrument for achieving Universal Health Coverage in India.
Conclusion
Ayushman Bharat represents a systemic transformation of India’s healthcare architecture, integrating primary care, financial protection, infrastructure strengthening, and digital health. Its long-term success is central to improving population health outcomes, enhancing resilience against health emergencies, and ensuring affordable healthcare for all citizens.
