1.5 Lakh PHCs to be converted as Wellness Centres by 2022

: Union Health Minister JP Nadda Saturday said that 1.5 lakh Primary Health Centres and sub-centres would be converted into wellness centers by 2022.

Speaking at the 20thanniversary celebrations of L V Prasad Eye Institutes community eye arm, GPR International Centre for Advancement of Rural Eye Care here, Nadda said the Centres flagship Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Mission fromSeptember 23.

"The Government of India has decided to convert all our sub-centres and PHCs into Wellnesscenters. And the number is 150,000.

Last yearwe converted 4,000sub-centres. This year we are converting 50,000 centres, Next year we will be converting 30,000 centres, next to next year 40,000.

This is how by 2022 we will be converting 1.5 lakh sub-centres into wellness centres," he said.

He said these centres facilitate screening of every individual aged 30 for blood pressure, diabetes, tuberculosis, breast cancer and leprosy, among others.

Nadda sought the support of the private sector for offering better health care to the people.

E S L Narasimhan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, among others, spoke at the function.