India’s five-year-old Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) programme, which has grown to more than 1.60 lakhs centres and registered a footfall of over 178.87 crore (as of June end), is undergoing its biggest ever expansion of services, confirmed sources in the Health Ministry.
Under the latest expansion spree, the Central government is adding services, including screening, prevention, control & management of non-communicable diseases, care for common ophthalmic & ENT problems, basic oral health care, elderly and palliative health care services, emergency medical services, and screening and management of mental health ailments.
“The expansion programme is underway, and the aim is to cover all the centres by next month-end,” a senior official said, adding that the expansion plan has been worked upon since 2020.
Additionally, to complement the expanded services, the essential list of medicines and diagnostics has been expanded to make available 171 medicines at Primary Health Care-Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) and 105 at Secondary Health Care-HWC and 63 diagnostics at PHC-HWC and 14 at SHC-HWC.
A new cadre of Community Health Officers, 1.29 lakh in position, has been introduced at the level of SHC-HWC to act as clinicians as well as public health managers and to lead the team of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), Anganwadi Workers (AWW) and Auxiliary Nurse Midwifes (ANM).
“The AB-HWC team is continuously motivated through team-based incentives for the team and performance-linked incentives for CHOs,” the official said.
The official added that the facilities are being encouraged to undergo the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) assessment and certification with a target to realise 50% of the public health facilities being certified by 2026.
AB-HWCs, started in 2018, is aimed at bringing in promotive, preventive, curative, palliative and rehabilitative aspects of Universal Health Coverage. “The goal is to provide Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC), including both maternal and child health services and non-communicable diseases as well as free essential drugs and diagnostic services through AB-HWCs closer to the homes of people,’’ the official explained.
“The idea is that through these centres, we go beyond the management of illnesses. Comprehensive primary health care and wellness package activities at AB-HWC include yoga, zumba, meditation, counselling for healthy diet and lifestyle, marathons, cyclothons, celebration of annual health days etc. As on June 30, more than 2.16 crores wellness sessions have been conducted with participation of 23.83 crores individuals,’’ the official said.
As per Central government records, more than 122.02 crore cumulative screenings for non-communicable diseases have been conducted. This includes 41.81 crore for hypertension, 36.16 crore for diabetes, 24.75 crore for oral cancer, 11.44 crore for breast cancer and 7.83 crore for cervical cancer.
