Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said the objectives of Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission is to fill the gaps in the public health infrastructure, especially in critical care facilities and primary care in both urban and rural areas.This health initiative is one of the largest pan-India schemes for strengthening healthcare infrastructure across the country, Mandaviya added.Addressing a press conference on recently launched Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, the Minister said the ongoing Covid pandemic gave us an opportunity to improve the health infrastructure and for that this health scheme has been launched with an investment of Rs 64,000 crore.Two containers with all healthcare facilities and ready to be lifted facilities will be established in Delhi and Chennai to cover north and south India under this health scheme.
Mandaviya said these two containers with a capacity of nearly 200 beds each will be placed in Delhi and Chennai and can be airlifted or sent by trains to meet any urgency across the country.As many as Rs 90 to Rs 100 crore will be spent in every district and the health infrastructure will be strengthened at the block to district levels, he added.He said, "Under this scheme, 134 types of tests will be done free of cost at the district level which is a big step," adding that "there must be good laboratories at all levels -- be it district or national level".It will provide support to 17,788 rural health and wellness centres in 10 high focus states. Further, 11,024 urban health and wellness centres will be established in all states, the Minister said.The critical care services will be available in all districts of the country with more than five lakh population through exclusive critical care hospital blocks, Mandaviya added.