Lok Sabha Question No. 921 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-05
Subject: Affordable Healthcare and Medical Value Tourism
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Praveen Patel, Smt. Vijaylakshmi Devi, Shri Mukeshkumar Chandrakaant Dalal, Smt. Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah, Shri Dileshwar Kamait, Shri P C Mohan, Dr. K Sudhakar, Shri Ashish Dubey, Smt. Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Shri Shivmangal Singh Tomar

## GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 921 TO BE ANSWERED ON 5 TH DECEMBER, 2025

## AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE AND MEDICALVALUE TOURISM

## 921. SHRI PRAVEEN PATEL:

SMT. VIJAYLAKSHMI DEVI:

SHRI MUKESHKUMAR CHANDRAKAANT DALAL:

SMT. MALARAJYALAXMI SHAH:

SHRI DILESHWAR KAMAIT:

SHRI P C MOHAN:

DR. K SUDHAKAR:

SHRI ASHISH DUBEY:

SMT. KAMALJEET SEHRAWAT:

SHRI SHIVMANGALSINGH TOMAR:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) the key measures taken by the Government to enhance the affordability of healthcare in the country;
- (b) whether the Government has undertaken any initiatives to strengthen India's position as a global destination for medical value tourism and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the steps being taken by the Government to improve collaboration with the healthcare industry and private sector to promote inclusive and high-quality medical infrastructure in the country; and
- (d) the measures proposed by the Government to promote traditional systems of medicine and wellness as part of India's broader healthcare and export strategy?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a): The National Health Mission (NHM) provides support for improvement in health infrastructure, availability of adequate human resources in health facilities, to improve availability, affordability and accessibility to quality health care especially for the poor and vulnerable sections in urban, rural, and tribal/hilly areas. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs to strengthen the public healthcare system, based on the proposals received in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) under NHM. Government of India provides approval for the proposals in the

form of Record of Proceedings (RoPs) as per norms & available resources.

A total of 1.81 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs) have been established and operationalized which deliver expanded range of comprehensive primary healthcare services encompassing preventive, promotive, palliative, rehabilitative, and curative care. These include reproductive and child healthcare services, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and a wide array of other health concerns.

National Free Drugs Service initiative and Free diagnostic Service has been rolled out to ensure availability of essential drugs and diagnostic facilities and reduce out of pocket expenditure of the patients visiting public health facilities. Besides, quality generic medicines are made available at affordable prices to all under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) in collaboration with the State Governments. Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) Pharmacy stores have been set up in some hospitals/institutions.

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) fixes ceiling prices for medicines listed in Schedule-I of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013), and manufacturers must sell these drugs within the notified ceiling price (plus GST). NPPA also sets retail prices for new drugs, which the concerned manufacturers and marketers must adhere to. For non-scheduled drugs, manufacturers may fix the MRP, but cannot increase it by more than 10% in any 12-month period as per DPCO, 2013.

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) is a flagship scheme of the Government which provides health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to approximately 55 Crore beneficiaries corresponding to 12.37 Crore families constituting economically vulnerable bottom 40% of India's population. States/UTs implementing AB PM-JAY have further expanded the beneficiary base, at their own cost. Recently, the scheme has been expanded to cover 6 crore senior citizens of age 70 years and above belonging to 4.5 crore families irrespective of their socio-economic status under AB PM-JAY with Vay Vandana Card.

The various other initiatives carried out under NHM by the Government of India for enhancing the affordability of healthcare in the country are National Ambulance Services, Mobile Medical Units, ASHAs, 24 x 7 Services and First Referral Facilities, Prime Minister's National Dialysis Programme, various activities under Reproductive & Child Health, Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) strategy, Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (PMTBMBA) and Universal Immunization programme.

(b): Government has undertaken several initiatives to boost medical value tourism. This sector incorporates initiatives of several Ministries/Departments/trade bodies along with private sector hospitals. This Ministry undertakes coordination with different stakeholders and further provides inputs and support to Ministry of Tourism and other Government and Departments. The specific issues of the sector are identified and communicated to different Government and non-Governmental bodies.

The measures taken by the Government to strengthen India's position as a global destination for medical value travel include branding and promotion of medical tourism including at India's Missions and Posts abroad which also showcase the country's health facilities by conducting digital campaigns, networking receptions, seminars, etc; launch of e-Medical VISAs and e-Ayush VISAs; accreditation through National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) and strengthening of institutional capabilities in the country particularly in traditional system of medicine.

(c): Public-Private Partnership (PPP) has been one of the mainstays and continues to be an integral part of health reforms in India to promote inclusive and high-quality medical infrastructure. Under National Health Mission (NHM), the Government is encouraging PPP model to modernize the health ecosystem of district hospitals in the country. Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP) for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients, which ensures availability of dialysis services in all the district hospitals in the country free of cost to all BPL beneficiaries, is operational in both Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode and inhouse mode. Under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), out of 32,403 empaneled hospitals, 15,378 private hospitals have been empaneled to provide healthcare benefits to scheme beneficiaries.

(d): To promote traditional systems of medicine and wellness, Government of India has adopted an integrated strategy of Co-location of AYUSH facilities at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and District Hospitals (DHs), thus enabling the choice to the patients for different systems of medicines under a single window. AYUSH services have been allocated at 482 DHs, 3,103 CHCs, 241 health facilities other than CHC at or above block level but below district level, 6,158 PHCs and 3,109 health facilities above Sub-centre (SC) but below block level, as on 31st March, 2025. AYUSH is also integrated with various new and upcoming All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) established under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

Wellness-related activities like Yoga, cycling, and meditation, are conducted in Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAMs). As on 31.10.2025, a total of 6.37 cr wellness sessions including yoga have been conducted under Ayushman Arogya Mandir inlcuding Ayushman Melas.

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