National Health Mission, J&K, as an endeavour to strengthen Health & Wellness Centres (HWCs) in the State for providing Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) under Ayushman Bharat, India’s path to Universal Health Coverage, selected 500 Mid-Level Health Providers (MHLPs) for undergoing 6 months Bridge Programme Certificate Course in Community Health (BPCCCH) - July, 2019 session from IGNOU/ University of Kashmir.These provisionally selected MLHPs include 180 BAMS/ BSc Nursing & GNMs candidates for undergoing the course at four (4) Programme Study Centres of IGNOU in Jammu Division, 120 BAMS/ BSc Nursing & GNMs candidates for undergoing the course at four (2) Programme Study Centres of IGNOU in Kashmir Division and 200 BUMS candidates, including 14 from Jammu Division & 186 from Kashmir Division, for undergoing the course through University of Kashmir.After successful completion of 6 months training, these MLHPs will be placed in the HWCs at Sub-Centre level, to ensure CPHC to the people at grass root level. The State has undertaken to upgrade all the Primary Health Centres, NTPHCs, UPHCs and Sub-Centres as HWCs by December 2022 in phased manner.
Presently, State is in the process of establishing 1112 HWCs by March 2020 and has operationalised 240 HWCs so far which are providing CPHC.H&WCs are the platform to deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care services, which are universal and free for users, with focus on wellness and delivery of expanded range of services close to the community. Presently, it include 12 packages of services including Population based screening of common Non- Communicable Diseases (Hypertension & Diabetes) and common Cancers viz., Breast, Oral and Cervical cancer amongst the population of 30 years and above.HWCs at Sub-Centre level are being staffed by suitable trained MLHPs who are Ayurveda/Unani/Nursing Graduate/GNMs and certified in six (6) months Bridge Programme Certificate Course in Community Health (BPCCCH) through IGNOU/ University of Kashmir. Selection of candidates for undergoing said course is made by NHM, J&K through written examination conducted with the support of NHSRC, New Delhi, followed by interview/ skill assessment conducted by panel of experts from the Govt. Medical Colleges, Jammu/ Srinagar and the Directorate of Health Services, Jammu/ Kashmir.