Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava spoke at the 12th Convocation of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences courses at JIPMER, underlining the significant impact of Ayushman Bharat and the 1.18 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. She emphasized the shift towards screening, early detection, and management of non-communicable diseases as part of Ayushman Bharat’s foundational pillars.
Highlighting the importance of quality healthcare delivery, Srivastava discussed the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) and the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS). She mentioned ongoing assessments of over two lakh public health facilities, including Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, for infrastructure and service improvements.
Srivastava outlined additional pillars of Ayushman Bharat, such as the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) offering health assurance, the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) for digital health records, and the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) enhancing health infrastructure.
The Union Health Secretary commended the graduating students at JIPMER, urging them to dedicate their careers to service and nation-building. She stressed the vital role of nursing and allied healthcare professionals in India’s healthcare system and highlighted legislative reforms and capacity-building initiatives in these sectors.
