Centre sets eye to ensure universal health coverage

The Government of India has taken a number of initiatives in a bid to ensure universal health coverage.
The government is focusing on a number of issues, including improving tertiary care facilities, teleconsultations to reach out to remote communities, primary and secondary healthcare, and field workers’ skill development.
One of these initiatives is the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), which aims to develop tertiary healthcare capabilities in clinical treatment, medical research, and in teaching to far-flung areas in the country. It intends to address regional disparities in the accessibility of reasonable/reliable tertiary healthcare services and to improve the country’s resources for high-quality medical education.
The scheme comprises two components including the setting up of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the launch of limited IPD facilities at AIIMS Mangalagiri, AIIMS Nagpur, and AIIMS Bathinda for the treatment of CoVID-19 patients. The scheme also constitutes operating CoVID test labs at AIIMS Bathinda, AIIMS Nagpur, and AIIMS Mangalagiri. With effect from December 7, 2021, AIIMS Gorakhpur has begun a 300-bed IPD, informed the government through a release. The Government of India has sanctioned the building of AIIMS Bibinagar at a cost of Rs 1366 crore. The AIIMS Bibinagar facility will be finished in 36 months from the time the contract was awarded in July 2022.
A sum of around Rs 350 crore has been released thus far based on the current rate of construction.
Releases are proportional to the physical progress made because the project must be completed in 36 months (of which 6 months have already passed).
Additionally, in the current fiscal year (FY) 2023-2024, AIIMS Bibinagar has received funding of Rs 65 crore under the salary head, Rs 21.72 crore under the capital head, and Rs 23.50 crore under the general head for the operation of medical programs for undergraduate students and other related projects.