Government Health Expenditure's share in country's total GDP increases from 1.13 per cent (2014-15) to 1.35 per cent (2019-20): MoS Health

The MoS Health informed that during the same period, expenditure on all government-financed health insurance schemes where the government provides health coverage free of charge, especially to the vulnerable section, increased from Rs 4,757 crores to Rs 13,809 crores. In order to attain self-reliance, reduce import dependence, and boost domestic manufacturing in the medical device sector, the Department of Pharmaceuticals launched a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for the promotion of domestic manufacturing of Medical Devices to ensure a level playing field for the domestic manufacturers of medical devices. The total financial outlay of the Scheme is Rs.3,420 crore for the period 2020-21 to 2027-28.

During the COVID period, the ventilators procured and provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) came with a warranty of one year (except 350 ventilators of Allied Meditec, which carried a warranty of three years). These ventilators have been provided to States/UT and after the initial warranty period, the maintenance & operationalization of these ventilators is the responsibility of the State/UT Governments. States were requested to ensure that ventilators are handled by trained doctors, paramedical workers, bio-medical engineers etc. They were requested to arrange maintenance and upkeep of these ventilators at their level and to ensure that these ventilators are fully functional at all times.

Under the National Health Mission, the Government has taken many steps towards universal health coverage by supporting the State Government in providing accessible & affordable healthcare to people. Under the National Health Mission, financial and technical. support is provided to States/UTs to provide accessible, affordable and quality healthcare, especially to the poor and vulnerable sections of the population, in both urban and rural areas. As updated by the States/UTs in AAM portal, a total of 1,73,410 Ayushman Arogya Mandir have been operationalized as of 30.06.2024 with 278 AAMs operationalized in the Katihar district of Bihar. Existing Sub-Health Centres (SHC) and Primary Health Centres (PHC) in rural and urban areas are transformed into AAM to deliver an expanded range of comprehensive primary healthcare services with a complete 12 package of services that include preventive, promotive, curative, palliative, and rehabilitative services which are universal, free, and closer to the community.

Further, the various initiatives carried out under the National Health Mission (NHM) by Government of India in various States are operationalization of Ayushman Arogya Mandir (erstwhile Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres) by transforming the existing Sub Centres and Primary Health Centres support for engaging of health human resource on a contractual basis, National Ambulance Services, Mobile Medical Units, ASHAs, Infrastructure strengthening, 24 x 7 Services and First Referral facilities, Mera Aspataal, Kayakalp Award Scheme, Prime Minister’s National Dialysis Programme, National Quality Assurance Standards implementation and related Activities, LaQshya Certification, Biomedical Equipment Maintenance and Management Programme, Free Diagnostics Service Initiative and Free Drugs Service Initiative, the Minister stated.