The Indian government has recently made strides to improve the country’s healthcare infrastructure. It signed loan agreements allowing it to borrow up to Rs 13,879 crore from international agencies. These funds will be used to support the Prime Minister-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), a large-scale national effort launched in October 2021 to strengthen healthcare facilities throughout India.
Agreement Details and Key Points
These loan agreements include a $300 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and a 50 billion Japanese Yen contract with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Furthermore, the World Bank approved a USD 1 billion International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) loan for PM-ABHIM. The IBRD represents the lending branch of the World Bank.
About PM-ABHIM
PM-ABHIM is one of the most comprehensive nationwide schemes aimed at enhancing healthcare infrastructure across the subcontinent. While complementing the National Health Mission, its goal is to provide support to 17,788 rural Health and Wellness Centres in 10 high-focus states and facilitate the establishment of 11,024 urban Health and Wellness Centres across the country.
The objectives of the mission are to confirm a resilient public health infrastructure in both urban and rural areas, establish an IT-enabled disease surveillance network, and connect all public health laboratories via the Integrated Health Information Portal. This portal will be extended to all states and Union Territories.
As major initiatives under the PM-ABHIM, 602 critical care hospital blocks will be established, along with critical care hospital blocks in 12 central hospitals to strengthen the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Additionally, five new regional NCDCs, 10 Biosafety Levels (BSL) – III and one BSL-IV, and 20 Metropolitan Surveillance Units (MSUs) will be set up.
Improving Healthcare Infrastructure: An Imperative Need
A significant number of primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in India lack fundamental infrastructure facilities like beds, rooms, clean delivery rooms, toilets, drinking water facilities, and regular electricity. According to the Rural Health Statistics from MoHFW 2021, there are 5439 PHCs in urban areas and 3966 PHCs in tribal areas.
The NITI Aayog’s 2021 report ‘Reimagining Healthcare in India through Blended Finance’ emphasized that 50% of India’s population has access to just 35% of hospital beds. This underlines the urgent need to reinforce healthcare infrastructure to guarantee accessibility of healthcare facilities for everyone.
Government Initiatives for Health Care
Several recent initiatives by the Indian Government indicate their commitment to improving healthcare services. Some of these initiatives include the National Health Mission, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), PM National Dialysis Programme, Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), and Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK).
The Way Forward
In order to overcome the challenges related to healthcare, it is essential to improve healthcare infrastructure in India. This requires increased investment in the construction of new healthcare facilities, enhancement of existing facilities, and recruitment and training of more medical professionals. Such measures will enhance access to quality medical care and alleviate the financial burden on patients.
Related Questions in Civil Services Examination
In the UPSC Civil Services Examination, there are questions related to healthcare initiatives in India. For instance, a question from 2017 prelims revolved around the objectives of the ‘National Nutrition Mission.’ In a question from the 2021 Mains examination, aspirants were asked to analyse the role of primary health structure in sustainable development. These questions underline the importance of understanding healthcare services and initiatives in India for qualifying in Civil Services Examination.