New Delhi, July 22 (IANS) A total of 1,77,906 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) have been established and operationalised under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) initiative till June, said Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Prataprao Jadhav in the Parliament on Tuesday.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Jadhav informed about the initiatives undertaken by the government to improve access, availability, and quality of healthcare services in the country.

In February 2018, the government had announced the establishment of 1,50,000 AAMs, erstwhile Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs), across the country by December 2022.

“A total of 1,77,906 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been established and operationalised as of June 30,” Jadhav said.

He noted that these have been created by transforming existing Sub-Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in both rural and urban areas.

At the SHC-AAM level, the government extends financial support “for 106 drugs and 14 diagnostic tests, while at the PHC-AAM level, support covers 172 drugs and 63 diagnostic tests”, the MoS said.

The support is under the government’s Free Drugs and Free Diagnostics Service Initiative.

Further, these AAMs also provide preventive, promotive, rehabilitative, and curative care for an expanded range of services.

These include reproductive and child healthcare services, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and a wide array of other health concerns.

For SHC-AAMs, the operational guidelines provide for a Community Health Officer (CHO), an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), a Multipurpose Worker – Male, along with ASHAs in the catchment area.

On the other hand, for PHC-AAMs, the prescribed norms include a Medical Officer, staff nurses, a pharmacist, Health Assistants, and a lab technician.

“The government has established a robust framework to ensure the quality of treatment and services provided by empanelled private hospitals. These mechanisms focus on regulatory oversight, standardisation, audits, and performance-based incentives to uphold the standards of care,” Jadhav said.

–IANS

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