Punjab to establish 208 more Ayushman Arogya Kendras
Chandigarh: After reaching a consensus with the Centre over the rebranding of
, the Punjab govt has announced plans to set up 208 additional urban
across the state.The decision aims to strengthen access to healthcare services, with officials claiming that the 242 existing urban Ayushman Arogya Kendras significantly reduced residents' out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure.
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These centres provide free treatment, 80 types of free medicines, and 38 types of free diagnostic tests.The state's health department directed deputy commissioners and civil surgeons to identify suitable buildings in line with prescribed norms for establishing the new centres. Authorities were instructed to ensure a minimum distance of 1 to 3 km between existing health facilities and the new Kendras.According to officials, of the 208 new health facilities, 42 are to be set up in Ludhiana, 26 in Jalandhar, 23 in Amritsar, 20 in Gurdaspur, 9 in Sangrur, and 8 each in Bathinda, Fazilka, Muktsar, and Pathankot. The identified facility must include a separate room for the doctor, a room for the pharmacist, waiting areas, a reception, and a toilet. Deputy commissioners and civil surgeons were asked to submit their location reports by May 12.The expansion follows a resolution to a long-standing conflict between the Punjab govt and the Union health ministry over the branding of 242 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs—formerly known as Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres. The state renamed them as Aam Aadmi Clinics (AACs), leading the Centre to withhold National Health Mission (NHM) funds.In Nov 2024, the two sides reached an agreement to rebrand the clinics as Ayushman Arogya Kendras, aligning with the Centre's guidelines. The renaming process was completed by Jan 2025 and included wall painting, installation of six logos, name boards, and defined border patterns for windows and doors.The dispute led to the suspension of NHM funds amounting to Rs 112 crore for the financial year 2022–23 and Rs 366.41 crore for 2023–24, from a total central allocation of Rs 457.90 crore.MSID:: 121110730 413 |
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