Govt is transforming Primary Health Centres into Health and Wellness Centres to make health care facilities accessible to people: Health Minister

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya has said that a total of one lakh 10 thousand Health and Wellness Centres have become operational so far in the country out the target of setting up of one lakh 50 thousand such Centres. Dr Mandaviya said that the government is transforming the Primary Health Centres into Health and Wellness Centres to make the health care facilities accessible to the people. He informed that 13 types of diagnosis are available in these Health Centres including oral, breast and cervical cancers. The Health Minister was replying to the debate on the Private Members’s Bill related to Population Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2019 moved by BJP MP Rakesh Sinha in the Rajya Sabha. Dr Mandaviya further added that the Central government is moving with the spirit of holistic approach to make the healthcare affordable and accessible in the remotest part of the country. He informed the House, to enhance the number of doctors in the country, the government has increased the number of seats for MBBS to 92 thousand which was just 52 thousand in the year 201. He said, these seats will be increased to one lakh in the coming days. He said, in case of Post Graduate seats in Medical Institutions, they have been increased to 62 thousand from 31 thousand seats. Speaking on Ayushman Bharat Yojana, the Minister said so far three crore eligible people have received the benefits under the scheme. Dr Mandaviya said that the government is running schemes to create awareness among the people through various modes about family planning and population control. Later the BJP members withdrew the bill moved in this regard after the Minister’s reply. Members from various political parties including Binoy Viswam of CPI, Jairam Ramesh of Congress, K J Alphons, Harshvardhan Singh Dungarpur and Vijay Pal Singh Tomar of BJP, Vishambhar Prasad Nishad of SP and Sanjay Singh of AAP participated in the discussion.