Health Sector: Initiatives, Challenges and Emerging Diseases

1.1 What is the National Health Mission?

The National Health Mission (NHM) was launched in 2013. It brings together two sub-missions, the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM).

Its aim is universal access to equitable, affordable and quality healthcare. The Centre supports States and Union Territories in strengthening their health systems.

1.2 Which areas does the rural mission focus on?

The rural mission gives special attention to vulnerable groups. It also targets weaker regions such as the Empowered Action Group (EAG) States, the north-eastern States, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh.

A key feature is the ASHA, or Accredited Social Health Activist. ASHAs are women chosen from their own village. They link families to immunisation, antenatal care and other services.

1.3 What does the public system offer for free?

Under the Free Diagnostics Service Initiative, tests and X-rays are free at every level of public facilities. The number of free tests rises with each level, as the table shows.

Source: PIB factsheet, August 2026.

Primary care is delivered through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Over 1.86 lakh were functional by 12 August 2026. They offer 12 free services and have recorded over 540 crore visits.

2.1 What was RSBY?

The Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) gave health insurance to unorganised workers in the below-poverty-line (BPL) category and their families. Its cover was Rs 30,000 per year.

Over time it was extended to other groups. These included construction workers, railway porters, street vendors, MGNREGA workers, domestic workers and sanitation workers.

2.2 How did PM-JAY replace it?

On 21 March 2018 the Union Cabinet approved the Ayushman Bharat – National Health Protection Mission. It was to subsume RSBY and the Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme. The new cover was Rs 5 lakh per family per year.

Today the scheme is called AB-PMJAY. It covers families from the poorest 40% of society. Beneficiaries were first identified through the SECC database.

2.3 What is Ayushman Vay Vandana?

On 29 October 2024 the Prime Minister expanded PM-JAY to every citizen aged 70 and above. The Ayushman Vay Vandana Card is available regardless of income. Within six weeks, enrolment reached 25 lakh.

By 12 August 2026 the scheme had issued over 45.5 crore Ayushman Cards. It had covered 12.69 crore hospitalisations worth Rs 1.92 lakh crore, and 1.20 crore senior citizens had enrolled.

Sources: PIB 2015 and 2018 releases; PIB factsheet 2026.

3.1 What did JSY and JSSK start?

The Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) began in April 2005. It pays cash to women who deliver in a government or accredited private facility. ASHAs also get an incentive for bringing women in.

Beneficiaries rose from 7.38 lakh in 2005-06 to 106.48 lakh in 2013-14. In June 2011 the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) made delivery free of cost. This includes Caesarean section, drugs, diagnostics, blood and diet.

3.2 What is PMSMA?

The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) offers free antenatal care to pregnant women on the 9th of every month. It was announced in the Prime Minister’s Mann Ki Baat of 31 July 2016.

By 2026 it had enabled over 7.91 crore check-ups. More than 1.24 crore high-risk pregnancies had been identified. e-PMSMA, launched in January 2022, tracks each high-risk pregnancy.

3.3 How much have the results improved?

Institutional deliveries rose from 78.9% in NFHS-4 to 90.6% in NFHS-6. The maternal mortality rate fell to 87 per lakh live births in 2022-24, down from 130 in 2014-16.

4.1 How are infectious diseases changing?

India still fights communicable diseases. New TB cases fell by 21% between 2015 and 2024, and TB deaths fell by 28%. Treatment success rose from 83% in 2021 to 90% in 2025.

Malaria cases and deaths fell by 80.5% and 78.38% between 2015 and 2023. India left the WHO’s High Burden to High Impact group for malaria in 2024.

4.2 What is being done about lifestyle diseases?

Diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer are rising. The National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) focuses on screening, early diagnosis, referral and treatment.

Screening drives have covered 41.5 crore people for hypertension and 41.3 crore for diabetes. Setups include 770 district NCD clinics and 524 day care cancer centres. Free dialysis has reached 32.44 lakh patients.

4.3 What does the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 say?

Section 115 covers attempted suicide. A person who attempts it is presumed to be under severe stress unless proved otherwise. The person shall not be tried or punished under the Indian Penal Code.

The Act also puts a duty on the government to provide care, treatment and rehabilitation to such a person. So the law treats attempted suicide as a health need and not as a crime.

4.4 How does Tele-MANAS help?

Tele-MANAS began in October 2022 as a toll-free helpline, 14416. It works in 20 languages across all 36 States and Union Territories.

By 11 August 2026 it had received 43.64 lakh calls through 53 Tele-MANAS cells. This helps people who have no mental health service nearby.

5.1 How are medicines made cheaper?

The Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) sells generic medicines through Jan Aushadhi Kendras. There were 18,646 kendras by February 2026.

Prices are 50 to 80% below branded prices. The basket has over 2,000 medicines and 300 surgical devices. AMRIT Pharmacies, launched in 2015, give discounts of 50 to 90% on life-saving medicines.

5.2 How big is the medical workforce push?

Medical colleges have more than doubled, from 387 to 818 allopathy colleges as of 2025-26. There are now 23 AIIMS, of which 12 were made functional since 2014.

MBBS seats stand at 1,28,976 and postgraduate seats at 85,822. B.Sc. Nursing seats rose 53% to 1,27,290. These numbers matter because doctors and nurses decide whether schemes work on the ground.

6.1 What is the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission?

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is India’s digital health backbone. As of 12 August 2026, it had created 96.43 crore ABHA health ID numbers. More than 110 crore health records were linked.

eSanjeevani, the national telemedicine platform, started in 2019. It has delivered over 49 crore consultations. Patients far from specialists can consult one remotely.

6.2 What is PM-ABHIM?

The PM-ABHIM was announced on 1 February 2021 with an outlay of about Rs 64,180 crore over six years. Cabinet approved it on 15 September 2021. It adds to the National Health Mission.

The 2021 plan listed 17,788 rural and 11,024 urban health and wellness centres, 3,382 block public health units and 730 district public health labs. The August 2026 factsheet gives updated targets of 23,224 rural centres, 13,736 urban centres, 3,389 block units and 744 labs.

6.3 What did the 2026 One Health drill test?

From 29 June to 3 July 2026, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying ran Pashujanya Yudh Abhyas in Khari village, Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh. It was the third national mock drill under the National One Health Mission.

The scenario was an animal outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1) that could spill over to humans and wildlife. Teams tested the whole chain, from early warning to containment and public communication.

7.1 What gaps remain?

A scheme is only as strong as its delivery. Weak primary care, uneven staffing and limited coordination can blunt even a well-funded plan. Digital tools and new infrastructure are meant to close these gaps.

India also carries two burdens at once. Infectious diseases are falling but not gone. Lifestyle diseases and mental health needs are rising fast.

7.2 What does the exam ask?