Ayushman Bharat Expands Nationwide: 182,000 Health Centers, 420 Mn Health Cards Issued

These initiatives mark a systemic transformation in India’s healthcare delivery, integrating preventive care, financial protection, infrastructure, and digital continuity to expand access and strengthen public health nationwide.

India’s flagship healthcare program, Ayushman Bharat, has scaled to operate 182,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and issued over 420 million health cards, integrating primary care, financial protection, infrastructure development, and digital health initiatives.

At the community level, Arogya Mandirs have redefined primary healthcare. These upgraded Sub Health Centers and Primary Health Centers now provide comprehensive services, including screenings for non-communicable diseases, mental health support, geriatric and palliative care, trauma services, and wellness interventions such as yoga, in addition to maternal and child health services.

By November 2025, nearly 4.95 billion patient visits and 410 million teleconsultations were recorded, with preventive screenings covering 390 million hypertension checks and 360 million diabetes screenings. Cancer screenings for oral, breast, and cervical cancers have also expanded significantly.

Financial protection is provided through the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), the world’s largest publicly funded health insurance program, offering ₹500,000 coverage per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalization. As of December 2025, around 120 million families are enrolled, with hospital admissions totaling ₹1.6 trillion. The program includes nearly 32,500 empaneled hospitals, nearly half of them private. Women account for nearly 50% of beneficiaries, and the scheme now extends coverage to all citizens aged 70 and above via the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card.

Infrastructure development continues under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), with an outlay of ₹64,000 crore aimed at modernizing health facilities, creating integrated laboratories, district-level public health units, and critical care hospital blocks. AIIMS and other institutions are establishing 150-bed critical care units, enhancing readiness for public health emergencies.

Digital health integration is led by the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). The Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) enables secure storage and sharing of medical records, while national registries for professionals, facilities, and drugs provide interoperability across platforms.

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