National Rural Health Mission (2005) is mandated to strengthen public health systems in the States and Union Territories by :

(a) augmentation of health infrastructure

(b) increasing human resources

(c) mainstreaming of AYUSH

(d) providing mobile medical units

Codes :

The correct answer is - (a), (b), (c), and (d)

Key Points

• National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)
  • Launched in 2005 under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India.
  • It aims to improve the availability of and access to quality healthcare, especially for the rural population.
• Key mandates of NRHM:
  • Augmentation of health infrastructure
    • Construction and upgradation of healthcare facilities such as Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs), and Sub-Centres.
    • Focus on providing adequate physical infrastructure in rural areas.
  • Increasing human resources
    • Recruitment of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) to facilitate community-level healthcare.
    • Hiring of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to address the shortage of personnel in rural areas.
  • Mainstreaming of AYUSH
    • Integration of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH) into the public health system.
    • Promotion of traditional systems of medicine alongside allopathic treatments.
  • Providing mobile medical units
    • Deployment of mobile medical units in underserved and remote areas to ensure healthcare delivery.
    • These units provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and referral services to rural populations.

Additional Information

• Key features of NRHM:
  • Decentralized healthcare planning
    • Empowers Panchayati Raj Institutions to participate in healthcare planning and implementation.
  • Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)
    • Promotes institutional deliveries to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates.
    • Provides financial incentives to pregnant women for availing institutional care.
  • Communitization
    • Establishes Rogi Kalyan Samitis (Patient Welfare Committees) to manage healthcare facilities.
    • Encourages community participation in the functioning of public health systems.
• Impact of NRHM:
  • Significant improvement in maternal and child health indicators.
  • Enhanced access to healthcare services in rural and remote areas.
  • Increased awareness and utilization of healthcare services due to initiatives like ASHA workers.