PM-ABHIM

February 11, 2023

Context:

Recently, the Union government has signed loan agreements to borrow up to ₹13,879 crore to strengthen health infrastructure from international agencies. The loan agreements have been signed to augment PM-ABHIM.

More on news:

The loan agreements have been signed with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for $300 million (₹2,474 crore) and with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for 50 billion Japanese Yen (₹3,162 crore).
In addition, the World Bank has approved $1 billion (₹8,243 crore) IBRD loans.

About PM – Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM):

Objective: To fill gaps in health infrastructure, especially in critical and primary care facilities.
Focus Areas:
- Development of capacities of health systems and institutions across the continuum of care at all levels viz. primary, secondary and tertiary.
- Preparing Health systems in responding effectively to the current and future pandemics/disasters.
It targets to build an IT enabled disease surveillance system by developing a network of surveillance laboratories at block, district, regional and national levels.
Major inititiatives:
- Support for construction of 17,788 rural Health and Wellness Centres.
- Establishment of 11,024 Urban Health and Wellness Centres.
- Setting up 3,382 Block Public Health Units.
- Setting up of Integrated Public Health Labs in all districts.

Additional information:

About Asian Development Bank (ADB):

It is a regional development bank established in 1966.
It provides loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments to promote social and economic development.
Headquarter: Manila, Philippines.
Members: 68 members, 49 from within Asia including India
Japan holds the largest proportion of shares in ADB followed by the USA, because Japan is one of the largest shareholders of the bank, the president has always been Japanese.
It is an official United Nations Observer.