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Chandigarh to get ₹6.75 crore under PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission
The Chandigarh health department will get funding of ₹6.75 crore from the Union government under the Prime Minister-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) to boost the medical services in the city
The Chandigarh health department will get funding of ₹6.75 crore from the Union government under the Prime Minister-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) to boost the medical services in the city. Till March 28, the central government has allocated ₹1.69 crore as initial funding.
PM-ABHIM is a pan-India health scheme to strengthen health infrastructure at the grassroots level. Launched in October 2021 with an outlay of ₹64,180 crore, it aims to accomplish comprehensive healthcare across the country in the next five years. Under the scheme, the state governments are focusing on setting up health and wellness centres (HWC), labs and critical care units.
Under the central government’s five-year plan, UT has been asked to set up more HWCs across the city. As such, 29 HWCs and five Ayush HWCs have already been established in the city. But, the health department had set up nine outreach health centres across the city, which will be converted into HWCs under this scheme, taking the total count to 43. The new centres that will be converted as HWCs include the ones at Raipur Kalan, Badheri, Khudda Jassu, Kishangarh, Raipur Khurd, Khuda Lahora, Khuda Alisher, Indira Colony and Sector 44.
The central government also said, “PM – ABHIM was launched recently and its objective is to fill critical gaps in health infrastructure, surveillance and health research – spanning both the urban and rural areas. States are being allocated funds as per the proposed projects, while funds of ₹1.69 crore have been allocated as initial funding for Chandigarh. Among the 37 states and UTs of India, funds have already been released to departments of 18 states and UTs, but not yet to Chandigarh.”
Under the scheme, the UT health department has also proposed setting up a trauma centre in Manimajra in replacement of a critical care unit. Proposed to be equipped with expert doctors and advanced facilities, the trauma centre will take care of victims of major natural or man-made disasters, besides road accidents.
An integrated public health laboratory (IPHL) will also be set up under this scheme, which extends to comprehensive lab services, including infectious disease diagnostics, along with other diagnostic services, such as epidemiology, haematology, clinical biochemistry, microbiology, virology and pathology. So far, the central government has not approved the funding of other projects in this scheme.
Dr Suman Singh, UT director of health services, said, “We have not yet received the funding and no plans have been chalked out yet as to which project to take up first. However, as per allocations, projects will be implemented and facilities will be improved in UT.”
