The Union Government has decided to rename the existing Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) as ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandir’ with the tag-line ‘Arogyam Parmam Dhanam’.
Key points
India currently has more than 1.6 lakh AB-HWCs which aims to provide comprehensive primary healthcare, including both maternal and child health services, and free essential drugs and diagnostic services close to people’s homes through AB-HWCs.
The Centre offers screenings for hypertension, diabetes, oral, breast and cervical cancer. In 2017, the National Health Policy was launched, based on the recommendations of the Task Force for Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC).
It endorsed the establishment of Ayushman Bharat – Health & Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) and committed that two thirds of the budget be allocated towards primary health care. In the budget speech for FY 18-19, the AB-HWCs Programme was announced.
The Ayushman Bharat – Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) were launched under the Ayushman Bharat Programme in a bid to move away from selective health care to a more comprehensive range of services spanning preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care for all ages.
AB-HWCs have been operationalized in India by upgrading existing SHCs and PHCs to deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) that includes preventive, promotive, curative, palliative and rehabilitative services which are universal, free, and closer to the community.
