Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said the Central government is expanding health infrastructure, promoting traditional systems of medicine and is providing affordable healthcare to all in alignment with the vision of universal health coverage (UHC) with the resolute commitment of leaving no one behind.

The Minister made the statement in his address at the 76th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for South-East Asia here.

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“Health is the ultimate wealth and with good health, every task can be accomplished,” said Dr Mandaviya while reiterating the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for healthcare.

Lauding the progress of Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWC) which have played an instrumental role in providing a comprehensive array of primary healthcare services, the Minister said, “As of October 24, AB-HWCs have recorded over 2,110 million footfalls. The impact is resounding with individuals availing free drugs over 1,830 million times and diagnostic services over 873 million times”.

He added, “26 million wellness sessions have been conducted engaging more than 306 million people.”

He noted that initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) have substantially strengthened the digital health framework and physical infrastructure, catalyzing a revolutionary evolution of the health care delivery in the nation.

“Our current focus on primary health centres through AB-HWC emulating a synergistic approach will result in immeasurably positive health outcomes and reductions in out-of-pocket expenditures and become a model for other countries engaged in health sector reforms,” Mandaviya said.