Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava on 14 May highlighted the transformative reach of Ayushman Bharat and its 1.18 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs while addressing the 12th Convocation of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences courses at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in Puducherry. Degrees were conferred on 320 graduates across nursing and allied health disciplines.

Four Pillars of Ayushman Bharat

Srivastava elaborated on the four foundational pillars of Ayushman Bharat, describing the programme as a paradigm shift — moving beyond a primary focus on reproductive and child health toward a broader emphasis on screening, early detection, and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). She outlined each pillar in detail for the graduating cohort.

The pillars include the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), which provides financial protection and health assurance to beneficiaries; the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), which enables creation of ABHA accounts for seamless digital health records and data-driven care; and the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), which is strengthening health infrastructure through critical care blocks and expansion of the Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) network.

Quality Standards and Infrastructure Assessment

Emphasising quality in healthcare delivery, Srivastava spoke about the importance of Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) and the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS). She noted that more than two lakh public health facilities — including Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, Community Health Centres, and District Hospitals — are currently being assessed for infrastructure and service gaps.

Of these, approximately 64,000 public health facilities have already achieved NQAS certification. She encouraged the graduates to actively contribute to quality improvement in the institutions they join.

Legislative Reforms and Capacity Building

Srivastava highlighted key legislative reforms, including the enactment of the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Act and the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act, aimed at strengthening education, regulation, and professional standards across these sectors.

She also pointed to significant capacity-building measures, including the establishment of 157 nursing colleges co-located with medical colleges, and the Union government's commitment to nurture one lakh healthcare professionals over the next five years. Nursing and allied healthcare professionals, she said, form the backbone of India's healthcare system.

Message to Graduates

The Health Secretary described the convocation as a defining milestone for the graduating students, urging them to dedicate their professional journeys to service, compassion, and nation-building. She noted that as graduates of the prestigious JIPMER, they carry forward a legacy of commitment, competence, and ethical service that must be upheld throughout their careers.

With India's public health architecture undergoing its most ambitious structural expansion in decades, the next generation of nursing and allied health professionals will be central to whether these reforms translate from policy into patient outcomes.