In Gandhinagar, three Ayushman Bharat health centres have been awarded a ‘certificate of appreciation’ for delivering quality primary healthcare services to residents. These centres in Shahpur, Kantha, and Veda received the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) certificate from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The facilities at these centres include services like oral healthcare, primary eye and ear care, antenatal and maternity services, mental healthcare, and free medicine distribution.
Residents who utilized these services praised the centres for providing medical consultations, lab testing, and medications at no cost. A resident, Hitendra Rathod, highlighted the availability of primary care and treatments for various conditions like malaria and tuberculosis at these centres. Sangeetaben Prajapati mentioned that they receive medicines for conditions like blood pressure and diabetes, along with treatment for common illnesses.
The Ayushman Arogya Mandirs underwent a virtual assessment by a team from the Union Health Ministry and were found to meet all 12 standards. These centres not only offer medical services under national health programs but also conduct screenings for non-communicable diseases. Dr. Kirti Das Chaudhary emphasized the range of services available at the centres, including 14 types of on-site lab tests and activities for preventing infectious diseases.
Dr. Zahid explained that the certification under the National Quality Assurance Standards is granted by the Government of India after an assessment process involving representatives from six departments. The Primary Health Centres in Gandhinagar, evaluated by the National Health Systems Resource Centre, achieved an overall score of over 90 percent. District Quality Assurance Medical Officer Dr. Dharmesh V. Parikh confirmed that the health centres met the established checklists and criteria.
The recognition of these three Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Gandhinagar is expected to motivate other districts in Gujarat to strive towards a ‘Healthy Gujarat, Prosperous Gujarat’ initiative.
