New Delhi, Dec 31, 2022, IANS

New Delhi, Dec 31 (IANS) In a significant achievement strengthening the country's health infrastructure, India has surpassed a notable landmark, as 150,000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) have been operationalised before December 31, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated the nation on this achievement and said that India has successfully achieved the goal it had set out.

Translating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision into reality, the collected and collaborative efforts of states/UTs and Central government have catapulted India into a global model for assured and comprehensive primary healthcare services, he said.

"1,50,000 Health & Wellness Centers! PM @NarendraModi ji had set a target of starting 1.5 lakh AB-HWCs in the country by December 2022. I am happy to inform that today we have achieved this target. These centers will certainly strengthen the primary health care of the citizens," Mandaviya tweeted.

Prime Minister Narender Modi also applauded the efforts and said retweeting the tweet, "India's prosperity lies in healthy citizens only. These health and wellness centers set up in record numbers will play a big role in this direction. This achievement is going to fill a new energy in New India."

Ensuring the reach of healthcare services to the innermost regions of the nation through various initiatives, AB-HWCs have surpassed 8.5 teleconsultations via e-Sanjeevni, wherein nearly four lakh teleconsultations take place on a daily basis, said the ministry.

It added that over 86.90 crore beneficiaries have been cumulatively screened for non-communicable diseases, which include 29.95 crore for hypertension, 25.56 crore for diabetes, 17.44 crore for oral cancer, 8.27 crore for breast cancer and 5.66 crore for cervical cancer.

"In light of expansion of AB-HWCs, the number of essential medicines has increased to 172 at the primary health centres and health wellness centres and 105 at sub health centres and health wellness centres, while essential diagnostics have been expanded to 63 at PHC-HWCs and 14 at SHC-HWCs," said the ministry.