AYUSHMAN BHARAT TRANSFORMING RURAL HEALTHCARE AND DISEASE PREVENTION
Author Name: 1. Salman Khan, 2. Namita Pathak Ghorpade, 3. Rupali Prakash Shinde, 4. Rajpal Singh Yadav, 5. Dr. Narayan Krishnaji Ghorpade, 6. S. Maheswaran
Volume/Issue: 06/02
Country: India
DOI NO.: 08.2020-25662434 DOI Link: https://doi-ds.org/doilink/07.2025-64659747/UIJIR
Affiliation:
- Nursing Officer, JN Medical College & Hospital, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- Professor, HOD -Community Health Nursing, Sadhu Vaswani College of Nursing, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
- Assistant Professor, Sadhu Vaswani College of Nursing, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
- Principal, Govt. Nursing College, Tijara, Rajasthan, India.
- Assistant Professor, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) College of Nursing, Sangli, Maharashtra, India.
- PhD Scholar, Incharge Dept of Respiratory and Forensic Nursing, Govt. General Hospital, Karaikal, Puducherry, India.
ABSTRACT
Ayushman Bharat, India’s flagship healthcare initiative, has emerged as a transformative force in rural health systems by aiming to deliver universal health coverage, preventive care, and financial risk protection to underserved populations. Anchored by two key components—the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) and Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs)—the program strategically combines financial assistance with robust primary healthcare infrastructure. This review explores Ayushman Bharat's impact on disease prevention, accessibility, and rural health outcomes. HWCs are redefining primary healthcare by offering essential diagnostics, chronic disease screening, maternal and child health services, and health promotion activities, all within remote communities. Simultaneously, PM-JAY mitigates catastrophic health expenditures by offering insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakhs per family annually, significantly expanding access to secondary and tertiary care. The integration of digital tools like telemedicine, electronic health records, and mobile health units further enhances outreach and service delivery. Despite its remarkable progress, the scheme faces challenges related to infrastructure gaps, workforce shortages, and health literacy. This paper highlights how Ayushman Bharat is reshaping rural healthcare delivery through innovative, inclusive, and scalable approaches, and outlines future directions to maximize its potential in preventing diseases, reducing healthcare inequities, and fostering community-driven health resilience in India.
Key words: Ayushman Bharat, Disease prevention, Health and Wellness Centres, Primary healthcare strengthening, Healthcare accessibility
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