1.5 lakh health centres to be set up under Ayushman Bharat by 2022: Dr Harsh Vardhan

More than 45 lakh poor people have been treated under the Ayushman Bharat scheme in the past one year and Rs 70,5000 has been disbursed under the scheme, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan said here on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference on the Ayushman Bharat Pakhwara, he said that 21,000 health and wellness centres have already been created and the target is to establish 1,50,000 centres by December 31, 2022.

He said that 40,000 health and wellness centers will be established by March 31 this fiscal.

"Within one year, under the Ayushman Bharat, more than 45 lakh poor people have been treated. 18,073 hospitals have been empanelled and more than Rs 70,500 crore has been spent," he said.

The minister said the first anniversary of Ayushman Bharat -- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna will be observed on September 23 and Ayushman Bharat Pakhwara has been observed since September 15.

He said that an important aspect of PMJAY is that the benefits of the scheme are portable across the country and a beneficiary can visit any empanelled public or private hospital for the cashless treatment.

Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 23 last year at Ranchi.

It provides a cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year, for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. It also entails the creation of 1,50,000 health and wellness centres to bring health care closer to the homes of the people.