{"id":85363,"date":"2026-09-23T18:04:44","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T12:34:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=85363"},"modified":"2026-09-23T18:05:37","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T12:35:37","slug":"progressing-towards-universal-health-coverage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/23-09-2026\/progressing-towards-universal-health-coverage","title":{"rendered":"Progressing Towards Universal Health Coverage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Health\/Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Eight years ago, <strong>Ayushman Bharat<\/strong> was rolled out with the idea tha<strong>t every Indian should have access to top-quality and affordable healthcare.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Government launched the <strong>Ayushman Bharat Pradhan-Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) in 2018.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Aim:<\/strong> To achieve universal health coverage.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is a <strong>public health assurance scheme<\/strong> and covers <strong>secondary and tertiary care.\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is one of the world\u2019s largest public healthcare schemes, with about 33% of India&#8217;s population\u00a0 (over 48.51 crore people) already holding Ayushman cards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-dominant-color=\"bcd6e2\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #bcd6e2;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"609\" height=\"397\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-176.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-85364\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-176.png 609w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-176-300x196.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 609px) 100vw, 609px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-dominant-color=\"c8d8e4\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #c8d8e4;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"627\" height=\"460\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-177.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-85365\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-177.png 627w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-177-300x220.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is Universal Health Coverage?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It means that all people have<strong> access to the full range of quality health services<\/strong> without financial hardship.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Key components of UHC include:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Access to Care: <\/strong>Everyone should be able to obtain necessary health services when they need them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quality Services: <\/strong>The care provided should be effective, safe, and of good quality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Financial Protection:<\/strong> Individuals should not face financial difficulties due to medical expenses.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>UHC <\/strong>is rooted in the <strong>universal human right to health,<\/strong> affirmed in <strong>international covenants and the Alma-Ata Declaration (1978)<\/strong>, which prioritised comprehensive primary healthcare.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Need For Universal Health Coverage in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>High Out-of-Pocket Expenditure:<\/strong> A significant share of healthcare spending is borne directly by households, which can push vulnerable families into financial distress.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unequal Access to Healthcare:<\/strong> Rural, tribal and remote areas often face shortages of doctors, specialists, diagnostic facilities and quality hospitals, creating geographical disparities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Large Disease Burden:<\/strong> India faces a dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, requiring accessible preventive, primary and specialised healthcare.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Preventive and Primary Healthcare:<\/strong> UHC can shift the focus from expensive hospital-based treatment towards prevention, early diagnosis and primary healthcare, reducing the burden on tertiary facilities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Demographic and Epidemiological Transition:<\/strong> With an ageing population and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, India needs sustainable access to long-term and affordable healthcare.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Constitutional Basis for UHC:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Directive Principles of State Policy<\/strong> in Part IV of the Constitution provides a basis for the right to health.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Article 39 (e) <\/strong>directs the state to secure the health of workers; <strong>Article 42 <\/strong>emphasises just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief; and <strong>Article 47<\/strong> casts a duty on the state to raise the nutrition levels and standard of living, and to improve public health.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Constitution also endows the panchayats and municipalities to strengthen public health under <strong>Article 243G<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges in Adopting UHC in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Resource Constraints:<\/strong> India faces significant funding limitations in healthcare, with a low public health expenditure compared to many other countries. This affects the ability to provide comprehensive services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Infrastructure Gaps: <\/strong>Many areas, especially rural regions, lack adequate healthcare infrastructure, including hospitals, clinics, and trained personnel, making access to care difficult.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Healthcare Workforce Shortages:<\/strong> There is a shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly in rural areas, leading to disparities in access and quality of care.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fragmented Health Systems: <\/strong>India&#8217;s healthcare system is a mix of public and private providers, leading to inconsistencies in quality and accessibility.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>And, <strong>Health is a State subject<\/strong>, while financing and flagship schemes are centrally driven, leading to uneven outcomes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>AB-PMJAY <\/strong>expands access to quality and affordable secondary and tertiary healthcare for eligible beneficiaries, while <strong>Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs<\/strong> bring comprehensive primary healthcare closer to communities.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) <\/strong>enables individuals to create a unique digital health identity and access their health records across participating healthcare facilities.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>PM-ABHIM strengthens the health system\u2019s infrastructure <\/strong>and preparedness by supporting the development of health centres, laboratories, and critical care facilities from the grassroots to the district level.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These initiatives strengthen the continuum of healthcare, <strong>from primary care and digital health services to hospital-based treatment and resilient health infrastructure.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2313393&amp;reg=48&amp;lang=1\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\n<strong> <\/p>\n<p>Context<\/p>\n<p> <\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">\n<p>Eight years ago, Ayushman Bharat was rolled out with the idea that every Indian should have access to top-quality and affordable healthcare.\n<\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong> <\/p>\n<p>About<\/p>\n<p><\/strong>\n<\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">\n<p>The Government launched the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan-Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) in 2018.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\">\n<p>Aim: To achieve universal health coverage.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/23-09-2026\/progressing-towards-universal-health-coverage\"   class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-85363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=85363"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85363\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85368,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85363\/revisions\/85368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=85363"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=85363"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=85363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}