INDIA’S HEALTH TRANSFORMATION
New Delhi, Jun 08, 2026 : India’s healthcare sector has undergone a sweeping transformation over the past 12 years, driven by large-scale investments in public health infrastructure, health insurance, digital healthcare, medical education and disease control programmes. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said these reforms have strengthened healthcare delivery across the country and accelerated India’s progress toward universal health coverage.
From the rollout of the world’s largest publicly funded health insurance programme to the establishment of more than 1.86 lakh primary healthcare centres and the delivery of over 47 crore telemedicine consultations, the country’s healthcare ecosystem has expanded significantly since 2014.
Universal Health Coverage at the Core:
The MoHFW’s healthcare strategy has focused on making quality healthcare accessible and affordable for every citizen. According to findings from the National Statistical Office’s 2025 survey covering over 1.39 lakh households, a growing number of Indians are relying on government healthcare facilities for treatment. The survey indicates that many patients seeking outpatient care at public hospitals and clinics incur little or no expenditure, while nearly half of hospitalised patients pay less than ?1,100 for treatment. The trend suggests increasing public confidence in government healthcare institutions and reduced out-of-pocket healthcare spending, particularly among economically weaker households.
The Ministry attributes this progress to sustained public investment in healthcare infrastructure, expansion of insurance coverage, strengthening of disease-control programmes and the adoption of digital technologies across the healthcare system.
Ayushman Bharat Becomes the Backbone of Health Security:
Launched in 2018, Ayushman Bharat has emerged as the centrepiece of India’s universal health coverage strategy. The programme rests on four pillars: the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
AB-PMJAY provides health insurance coverage of up to ?5 lakh annually per family for economically vulnerable households. Covering nearly 12 crore families, the scheme has evolved into the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance programme. Since its launch, more than 44.14 crore Ayushman cards have been issued, while over 12.03 crore hospital admissions have been financed under the scheme. Treatment worth more than ?1.80 lakh crore has been provided through a network of 36,218 empanelled hospitals across the country.
The programme was further expanded in October 2024 with the launch of Ayushman Bharat Vay Vandana, extending health insurance coverage to all senior citizens above the age of 70. By June 2026, over 1.20 crore senior citizens had enrolled under the initiative and availed treatment worth nearly ?3,000 crore.
The Ministry often cites stories such as that of Soni Kahtoon from Bihar, who underwent a life-saving heart valve replacement surgery free of cost under AB-PMJAY after her family had exhausted its savings and incurred heavy debt while seeking treatment. Such cases, they said, illustrate the scheme’s role in preventing medical emergencies from becoming financial catastrophes.
Expanding Healthcare at the Grassroots:
A major component of the healthcare transformation has been the rapid expansion of primary healthcare facilities through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. More than 1.86 lakh such centres are now operational across India, including sub-health centres, primary health centres, urban health centres and AYUSH facilities.
These centres provide comprehensive healthcare services ranging from maternal and child healthcare to management of non-communicable diseases, mental health support, teleconsultations, emergency care, diagnostics and free medicines. Collectively, they have recorded more than 540 crore patient visits.
The impact of these centres is visible in rural regions. In Assam’s Bongaigaon district, for example, the transformation of the Lalmati sub-centre into an Ayushman Arogya Mandir expanded access to preventive healthcare, disease screening and emergency services. Local authorities report significant improvements in maternal and child health outcomes, including the elimination of preventable maternal and child deaths in the area since 2024.
Building Pandemic Preparedness:
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in healthcare systems worldwide and reinforced the need for stronger public health infrastructure. In response, India launched the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission in 2021 with a financial outlay of ?64,180 crore.
The mission aims to create a resilient healthcare system through the establishment of thousands of health and wellness centres, block public health units, integrated public health laboratories and critical care hospital blocks. It also focuses on strengthening disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and biosecurity infrastructure.
Digital Healthcare Revolution:
One of the most visible changes in India’s healthcare sector has been the rapid adoption of digital technologies. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, launched in 2021, seeks to create an integrated digital health ecosystem through the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), a unique digital health identity that allows patients to securely access and share health records across healthcare providers.
By March 2026, more than 20.49 crore registrations had been recorded under the digital health ecosystem, while over 27,000 healthcare facilities were connected to the platform.
Complementing these efforts is eSanjeevani, India’s national telemedicine service. Since its launch in 2019, the platform has facilitated more than 47 crore consultations, making specialist healthcare accessible even in remote and underserved regions. More than 2.34 lakh healthcare providers have joined the platform, making it one of the largest telemedicine networks globally.
Mental healthcare has also received a digital boost through Tele-MANAS, a nationwide mental health counselling service launched in 2022. Available in 20 languages, the service now operates through dozens of centres and mentoring institutions across the country.
Improvements in Maternal and Child Health:
Maternal and child healthcare programmes under the National Health Mission have contributed significantly to improved health indicators. Through the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan alone, more than 7.47 crore pregnant women have received antenatal care services.
Schemes such as Janani Suraksha Yojana and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram have encouraged institutional deliveries and ensured free healthcare services for pregnant women and newborns. Community health workers, particularly Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), continue to play a vital role in reaching vulnerable populations and ensuring timely healthcare interventions.
India’s immunisation efforts have also expanded substantially. Through Mission Indradhanush, launched in 2014, more than 5.46 crore children and 1.32 crore pregnant women who had previously missed vaccinations have been immunised. Government data indicates that more than 95 per cent of children aged between 12 and 23 months received vaccinations in 2023-24, while the proportion of children receiving no vaccines at all fell sharply.
Fighting Communicable Diseases:
India has reported notable progress in controlling communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS, kala-azar, dengue and leprosy. Under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme, more than 20 crore people have been screened for tuberculosis and over 28 lakh cases identified since late 2024. Community support initiatives have helped improve treatment adherence among patients.
Malaria cases and deaths have also declined significantly through enhanced surveillance and treatment strategies implemented under the National Framework for Malaria Elimination. Similar gains have been recorded in the control of HIV/AIDS, lymphatic filariasis, Japanese encephalitis and other infectious diseases.
COVID-19 Response and Capacity Expansion:
India’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic led to a substantial expansion of healthcare infrastructure. More than 220 crore vaccine doses were administered under one of the largest vaccination drives in history.
Testing laboratories increased from just 14 before the pandemic to more than 3,400, while ICU bed capacity expanded dramatically. Oxygen-supported beds and medical oxygen production capabilities also witnessed unprecedented growth. India additionally supplied approximately 300 million vaccine doses to nearly 100 countries under the Vaccine Maitri initiative.
Tackling Lifestyle Diseases:
As non-communicable diseases account for a growing share of deaths in India, the government has intensified screening and treatment efforts. More than 60 crore screenings for oral, breast and cervical cancers have been conducted through public healthcare facilities. Hundreds of millions of individuals have also been screened for diabetes and hypertension.
Cancer care infrastructure has expanded through the establishment of State Cancer Institutes, Tertiary Cancer Care Centres and specialised treatment facilities at AIIMS institutions. Free dialysis services under the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme have benefited millions of patients and substantially reduced treatment costs.
Affordable Medicines and Healthcare:
The government’s efforts to reduce healthcare expenses have included the expansion of Jan Aushadhi Kendras, which provide generic medicines at significantly lower prices than branded alternatives. More than 18,000 such centres are currently operational across the country.
The AMRIT pharmacy initiative has also helped millions of patients access life-saving medicines at discounted rates, generating substantial savings for households. Free diagnostic services have similarly reduced healthcare costs by providing essential tests at public health facilities.
Towards a Healthier India:
The transformation of India’s healthcare system over the past 12 years reflects a broad effort to strengthen every layer of healthcare delivery – from preventive care and disease control to digital health and advanced medical treatment. Policymakers argue that a healthier population not only improves quality of life but also strengthens economic productivity and long-term national development.
As India moves toward its vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047, healthcare reforms are expected to play a central role in ensuring that growth is accompanied by improved health outcomes, financial protection and equitable access to quality medical services for all citizens.