Latest news with #PM-ABHIM
Mint
13-07-2025
- Health
- Mint
Govt plans to to open new quarantine centres at four international entry points
New Delhi: The government plans to set up quarantine centres at three international border points—Amritsar, Guwahati and Petrapole—alongside Bhubaneswar in order to check the cross-border movement of potential carriers of infectious diseases. These designated centres are supported under the government's Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM). PM-ABHIMis considered the largest pan-India scheme for strengthening the healthcare infrastructure with an outlay of ₹ 64,180 crore. One of the key components of PM-ABHIM is to operationalize new public health units and strengthen existing ones at points of entry like airports, seaports, and land crossings. The quarantine centres are designed to separate and restrict the movement of individuals who have been exposed to an infectious disease, like Covid-19, but are not yet showing symptoms. These centres aim to prevent the transmission of the disease to others in the country. Previously, these centres were earmarked for Kannur (Kerala), Bhogapuram (Andhra Pradesh), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), and Kolkata (West Bengal).According to documents reviewed by Mint, this plan comes as the Ministry of Civil Aviation will now build quarantine centres from its budget at Kannur and Bhogapuram airports. The centres at Chennai and Kolkata airports will be built by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) as part of its airport expansion plans. This means the money previously planned for these four locations won't be needed, freeing up those funds. 'The new locations are important points of entry and connectivity: Amritsar serves as a major land route to Pakistan and a cultural hub; Guwahati is the gateway to the Northeast with extensive regional connections; Bhubaneshwar is a significant air entry point in eastern India; and Petrapole is India's largest land port facilitating substantial cross-border movement with Bangladesh,' an official familiar with the matter said. This strategic decision was discussed and ratified in the Mission Steering Group meeting of the National Health Mission held recently. 'This proactive approach ensures efficient use of resources and better preparedness for public health emergencies at critical points of entry across the nation,' the official said while emphasizing that these help in containing disease transmission, monitoring and early detection, managing high risk individuals, reducing burden on hospitals, emergency preparedness and providing specialized care and support. 'Even a single case of a novel virus, if unchecked at entry, could spark widespread community transmission and overwhelm local hospitals. Quarantine centres serve as a barrier, potentially preventing such outbreaks before they could even start,' Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, public health expert and Past President, Indian Medical Association (IMA), Cochin. Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson remained unanswered.
Mint
09-07-2025
- Health
- Mint
Tested in Pak conflict, health ministry to buy 50 cube hospitals
New Delhi: The health ministry plans to buy 50 portable hospitals from state-run HLL Lifecare Ltd, according to a senior government official and documents reviewed by Mint, after deploying two of them during the recent conflict with Pakistan. These so-called advanced trauma care units, known as Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita and Maitri (BHISHM) cubes, are part of the Centre's plan to significantly enhance India's disaster response capabilities. At BHISHM cube's core are several compact, portable "mini cubes" filled with essential medicines and equipment, designed for rapid deployment in various emergencies. Each of these indigenously developed mobile hospitals can treat up to 200 people per day, and will be strategically deployed at 22 Central government institutes and hospitals, including at all All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Each Cube consists of medicines and equipment for the first line of care for all kinds of injuries and medical situations. It also includes surgical equipment for a basic Operation Room. The effectiveness of these mobile hospitals was recently demonstrated during the India-Pakistan conflict, when two BHISHM cubes were successfully used in Kashmir to treat the injured. These lightweight flat-packed mobile units, which look like tents, can be quickly flown to an affected area and assembled in less than an hour. 'There's a plan to procure at least 50 BHISHM cubes which are to be stationed in all the AIIMS for use in case of disaster or calamity," said an official aware of the matter requesting anonymity. The matter was discussed during the 9th Mission Steering Group (MSG) meeting of the National Health Mission (NHM), held recently and chaired by health minister J.P. Nadda, reflecting a strategic shift towards more agile and efficient healthcare delivery during disasters and public health emergencies. According to the documents reviewed by Mint, BHISHM cubes are set to replace the previously approved Container-Based Mobile Hospitals (CGMH) under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM). CBMHs, large in size and not easy to move around quickly, were approved in 2021 at a total estimated cost of ₹212.92 crore. On the other hand, BHISHM Cubes are small, modular and easy-to-move mobile hospitals that can be set up quickly. They use rapid frequency identification or RFID, which helps identify and track things using radio waves. 'This change means that India will have a better and faster way to provide emergency medical help wherever it's needed," the official added. BHISHM Cubes, indigenously developed under the aegis of the National Security Council Secretariat as part of the Aarogya Maitri initiative, are designed to treat up to 200 casualties per day directly at the site of an incident. 'The new proposal will utilize approximately ₹133.1 crore from the approved capital budget of PM-ABHIM for the procurement of the 50 BHISHM Cubes," the documents stated. The official said that during the meeting, Nadda emphasized the need for a strong system in place to check the quality of the Cubes, especially as so many of them are being ordered. The minister has directed HLL Lifecare Ltd to make sure they meet all the required quality standards. A high-level committee was suggested to ensure quality standards for the mobile hospitals. 'This initiative is set to greatly improve India's ability to deliver immediate, life-saving emergency care. This is especially important for making the most of available resources and ensuring these units can be quickly sent to different locations. The BHISHM Cubes are planned for deployment at 22 specific central government hospitals and institutions," the official said. Dr Alexander Thomas, founder and patron, Association of Healthcare Providers India (AHPI) and other such organizations, said rapid deployment systems like these are crucial for disaster preparedness and emergency response. 'However, infrastructure alone is not enough. Having an emergency care setup is a good idea, but it must be matched with well-trained personnel—intensivists, nurses, and paramedics—who can effectively manage mass casualty situations. Even in our premier institutions like AIIMS, many posts remain vacant. The success of this initiative will depend not just on technology, but on ensuring adequate manpower, training, and maintenance," Dr Thomas said. Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, public health expert and former president at Indian Medical Association (IMA) Cochin chapter, said the shift towards rapidly deployable cube-based mobile hospitals is in line with global trends. 'The earlier container-based systems were expensive and cumbersome. Whether it is a natural disaster, epidemic or war, human health requires immediate attention. Such events often occur in inaccessible areas without state of the art healthcare facilities, and hence the need for these mobile hospitals. They need to be staffed by trained personnel, and designating a reserve pool of trained doctors, nurses, technicians, pharmacists and logistics experts in advance will ensure they are immediately available on site at the newly assembled facilities. They may be linked to a parent tertiary hospital," Dr Jayadevan said. Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson on Tuesday remained unanswered at press time.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
UT admn finalises plan for critical care hospital in Manimajra
Chandigarh: After deciding against taking MC's land for the ambitious project of constructing a 50-bedded critical care hospital in Manimajra, the UT administration finally finalised a 2.01-acre plot for the first of its kind project. Construction plan of the project, which will come up at Pocket Number 14, Manimajra, has been finalised. The engineering department will float the tender to invite bids. The plan is to construct a building with three floors on 1,28,833 square feet covered area. The structure will comprise both the critical care block and the service or sarai block. Since the total plot area is 87,600 square feet, the Chandigarh administration allowed a 1.50 permissible FAR (Floor Area Ratio) for this project. The new critical care hospital will have facilities such as emergency triage, gynaecology emergency, point of care lab, isolation room, ultrasound room, plaster room, duty room, and DU room. It will also have dialysis, isolation ward, therapeutic diet, duty room, staff room, cafeteria, and kitchen. Other facilities will include a 21-bedded ICU/HDU, operation theatre, administrative/office block, X-ray, MRI room, CT scan, and lab. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like One of the Most Successful Investors of All Time, Warren Buffett, Recommends: 5 Books for Turning... Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Click Here Undo The administration has planned a dedicated building for sarai, which will have 84 beds for the public. This building will have chemist shop, tuck shop, cafeteria, kitchen, etc. A basement parking has been planned to prevent issues. A few areas in the basement will also be used for services. The ground, first, second, and third floors of the building will have all the required facilities with modern technologies for treatment of patients. In-depth consultations were held with the UT health department during the planning stage. Each medical aspect related to the project was thoroughly discussed and the floor-wise plan was finalised. The critical care hospital project will be constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM). Since Manimajra is a densely populated area, the project aims at facilitating a large number of people, mainly from Manimajra, Maulijagran, and adjoining areas. Box: Earlier, the Chandigarh administration asked the Municipal Corporation to give its land for the project in Manimajra and take some of the UT's land in the southern sectors in return. However, the MC rejected the land-swap proposal and sought money against the land. Thereafter, the Chandigarh administration earmarked a new plot of land for the project instead of taking MC's land. Since the MC's land is situated adjacent to the Manimajra Civil Hospital, UT previously found the MC's land more suitable for the critical care centre project. However, since the MC refused the swap, the project is now coming up at another location in Manimajra, decided by the Chandigarh administration. Box: Floor-wise plan Accommodation for Critical Care Hospital Basement: Parking and services Ground floor: Registration, emergency triage, gynaecology emergency, LDR, point of care lab, isolation room, ultrasound room, plaster room, duty room, and DU room. First floor: Dialysis, isolation ward, therapeutic diet, duty room, staff room, cafeteria and kitchen Second floor: ICU/HDU, operation theatre, and office Third floor: Administrative/office block, X-ray, MRI room, CT scan, and lab Box: Accommodation for sarai building Ground floor: Chemist shop, tuck shop, cafeteria, kitchen, and services First floor: Rooms (28 beds) Second floor: Rooms (28 beds) Third floor: Rooms (28 beds) Box: Floor-wise area Total plot area: 87,600 square feet (2.01 acres) Permissible ground coverage: 35,040 square feet Permissible floor area ratio (FAR): 1.50 Box: Critical Care Block Covered area on ground floor: 27,972 square feet Covered area on first floor: 27,972 square feet Covered area on second floor: 27,972 square feet Covered Area on Third Floor: 24,549 square feet Total Covered Area: 108,465 square feet Box: Service/Sarai Block Covered Area on Ground Floor: 5,092 square feet Covered Area on First Floor: 5,092 square feet Covered Area on Second Floor: 5,092 square feet Covered Area on Third Floor: 5,092 square feet Total Covered Area: 20,368 square feet Total Covered Area of both Critical Care and Service Blocks: 128,833 square feet MSID:: 122280004 413 |
India Gazette
06-07-2025
- Health
- India Gazette
"Delhi govt working to ensure right to be healthy throughout life with dignity under Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme": JP Nadda
New Delhi [India], July 6 (ANI): Union Health Minister JP Nadda expressed his satisfaction over the the BJP-led Delhi government in ensuring that every person gets the 'right to be healthy,' as he distributed appointment letters to Delhi Nursing Officers and Paramedical staff and flagged off Ayushman Bharat Registration Vans at Delhi's Vigyan Bhawan on Sunday. Nadda underlined that Delhi observes the highest healthcare load as people across the country come to Delhi for treatment, and earlier, the healthcare system faced negligence. He commended the efforts of the current Delhi government for strengthening the healthcare infrastructure and implementing Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan AarogyaYojana (AB-PMJAY) and Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM- ABHIM). According to an official statement from the health ministry, the letters were distributed in the presence of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Ministers of Government of NCT Delhi, Pankaj Kumar Singh, Minister, Health and Family Welfare & Transport and Information Technology, Ravinder Indraj Singh, Minister, Social Welfare, Welfare for SC & ST, Cooperative and Election and Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Minister, Industries, Food & Supplies, Environment, Forest & Wild Life, Members of Parliament (Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Praveen Khandelwal, Yogender Chandolia and Bansuri Swaraj). He stated that 'under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ayushman Vay Vandana was introduced to ensure healthcare to the senior citizens above the age of 70. The Delhi government is working in this direction of ensuring the right to be healthy throughout life with dignity under Vay Vandana. To date, 4 lakh Ayushman Cards have been issued in Delhi, with 2 lakh cards issued under Vay Vandana.' He urged all stakeholders to work dedicatedly towards implementing PM-ABHIM in Delhi and fulfil the target of opening 1100 Ayushman Arogya mandirs by March 31, 2026, the statement mentioned. Nadda underlined that 'in 1997, the Health Policy focused primarily on curative care, while under the visionary leadership of PM, the New Health Policy 2017 was introduced with a philosophy of comprehensive care--preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative-- with a special focus on geriatric care. As per the statement, Nadda emphasised the important role of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in providing equal, affordable and accessible healthcare for all. He highlighted that 'special emphasis is being given to preventive healthcare under which initiatives for early diagnosis for different diseases have been undertaken. We are focusing on screenings of individuals over the age of 30 and working towards stalling the spread of diseases through early diagnosis. Till now, 18 crore screenings for hypertension, 17 crore screenings for diabetes, 15 crore screenings for oral cancer, 7.5 crore screenings for breast cancer and 4.5 crore screenings for cervical cancer have been conducted.' Highlighting the strides made in the direction of maternal and child care, Nadda highlighted that 'through the Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, from conception to childbirth to early childhood care is being provided. Regular checkups and immunisations have led to significant improvements. Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has declined from 130 to 88 per lakh live births while Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) dropped from 39 to 26. Under-five Mortality Rate (U5MR) has declined at a rate of 42% while the global decline is 14%. The neonatal mortality rate has declined by 40% rate while the global average decline was 11%.' The Union Minister also added that 'TB incidence has reduced by 17.7%, which is more than double the global decline rate of 8.3%, which is confirmed by the WHO Global TB Report 2024.' Highlighting the substantial growth in medical education and infrastructure. Nadda stated that 'earlier India only had 7 All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) till 2014, but today, 20 AIIMS are operational. The number of medical colleges has increased from 387 in 2014 to 780; the number of medical seats has increased from 51,000 to 1,18,000. Aiming for a total increase of 75,000 seats over the next five years.' Commending the initiative of Ayushman Bharat Registration Vans, Shri Nadda stated that 'running of 70 specially designed Vans in all assembly constituencies is a novel initiative in order to cover all eligible beneficiaries of PM Jan Arogya Scheme. 20 specially designed mobile vans are being flagged off. 70 such Vans will cover 70 assembly constituencies where they will collect and generate data for issuance of Ayushman Card and register the beneficiaries at their doorsteps.' Shri Nadda also highlighted the importance of the nursing and paramedical staff in the healthcare landscape and urged the newly appointed officers present to work with dedication and empathy towards implementing the healthcare schemes. Speaking on the occasion,. Rekha Gupta stated, 'Till now, 4 lakh Ayushman cards have been distributed under the Ayushman Arogya Yojana, which includes 2 lakh Vay Vandana Cards issued to the senior citizens of Delhi. A total of 2,258 individuals has already received medical treatment 108 hospitals of Delhi have been empanelled under the scheme.' She also informed that 'by 31st March 2026, a total of 1100 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) will be established in Delhi using the 1700 crore Rupees allocated for Delhi under PM-ABHIM. 100 AAMs are ready, out of which 34 have already been inaugurated, and the rest will be launched this month only. The Delhi government is working with a goal of inaugurating 100 AAMs every month, with 15 AAMs in each Assembly constituency and 150 in each parliamentary constituency.' CM Gupta also underlined that 'every hospital of Delhi has a Jan Aushadhi Kendra now that ensures access to medicines to all.' She also highlighted the efforts of the Delhi government to ensure transparency in the healthcare system while keeping corruption at bay. Following sustained efforts by all stakeholders, the Department of Health and Family Welfare, NCT Delhi, has issued Offers of Appointment to 1,388 Nursing Officers and 41 Paramedical Officers selected through the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB). Till now, 1,270 candidates have accepted the offers, and their document verification process is currently underway. As of July 3, 2025, 557 Nursing Officers and 20 Paramedical Officials have successfully completed document verification. This significant recruitment drive is expected to address the acute shortage of nursing and paramedical staff in Delhi's hospitals to a great extent. In parallel, continuous efforts are being made to fill all existing and anticipated vacancies of doctors, nursing, and paramedical staff arising due to retirements, promotions, and the creation of new posts. These actions are being undertaken proactively and simultaneously. (ANI)
Hans India
06-07-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Delhi Health Minister slams previous AAP govt for failure to fill vacancies
Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh on Sunday hit out at the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for failure to give appointment letters to hospital staff in the city, due to which the medical services deteriorated over the years. He said after a gap of 15 years, appointment letters were issued to nursing officers and allied healthcare professionals in the city. 'It is a matter of pride that our government is addressing the staff shortage that came to our notice after government formation,' Singh told IANS, assuring that the Rekha Gupta government is committed to working closely with the medical department officials and staff to improve facilities in the city. He was speaking to reporters after Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda handed over appointment letters to 1,388 Nursing Officers and 41 Allied Healthcare Professionals. The Delhi Health Minister said this recruitment of nurses should have been done five years ago, but the previous government failed to do so. Giving an update on the free medical insurance for 70-plus citizens, the Health Minister said the Delhi government has managed to issue over two lakh cards under the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY). Earlier, Nadda said, 'The Delhi government is working in the direction of ensuring the right to be healthy throughout life with dignity under Vay Vandana. Till date, 4 lakh Ayushman Cards have been issued in Delhi, with 2 lakh cards issued under Vay Vandana.' He urged all stakeholders to work dedicatedly towards implementing PM-ABHIM in Delhi and fulfil the target of opening 1,100 Ayushman Arogya mandirs till 31st March, 2026. Flagging off 20 Ayushman Bharat Registration Vans, he said, 'Running 70 specially designed Vans in all Assembly constituencies is a novel initiative in order to cover all eligible beneficiaries of PM Jan Arogya Scheme.' 'Twenty specially designed mobile vans are being flagged off. Seventy such Vans will cover 70 Assembly constituencies where they will collect and generate data for issuance of Ayushman Card and register the beneficiaries at their doorsteps,' he said.
