A recent self-assessment by the Indian government has highlighted concerning deficiencies in public health facilities across the nation. Data from the National Health Mission (NHM) revealed that nearly 80% of these facilities do not meet the government’s essential standards for infrastructure, manpower, equipment, and other critical benchmarks. This assessment, which included over 40,000 facilities, found that only 20% scored 80% or higher, qualifying them as compliant with the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS).
The NHM’s assessment covered a wide range of public healthcare facilities, including district and sub-district hospitals, community health centers, primary health centers, and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. The findings were stark: 42% of facilities scored below 50%, indicating significant deficiencies, while the remaining facilities showed moderate adherence to IPHS standards with scores between 50% and 80%. The Ministry of Health has emphasized the importance of real-time monitoring and plans to conduct surprise inspections to ensure compliance.
Efforts are underway to address these gaps, with a senior health official stating that 70,000 health institutions aim to become IPHS compliant within the first 100 days of the new government’s formation. The Centre funds 60% of public health facility expenditures under the NHM, with states covering the remaining 40%. The self-assessment is seen as a crucial step in identifying and addressing deficiencies, with future plans including both physical and virtual assessments to ensure adherence to both basic and best practice standards.
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