A total of 12,500 existing Ayush dispensaries and sub-health centres have been upgraded and operationalised as Ayushman Arogya Mandir (Ayush) — formerly known as Ayush Health and Wellness Centres — under the National Ayush Mission (NAM), Minister of State for Ayush Prataprao Jadhav informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, 4 August. The disclosure came through a written reply, offering the most comprehensive public accounting of the scheme's reach to date.

Scale of Ayush Infrastructure Nationwide

According to MoS Jadhav, as many as 40,269 dispensaries and 3,648 hospitals are currently providing Ayush OPD services across India. Karnataka leads all states with the highest concentration of such facilities — 7,641 dispensaries and 274 hospitals — making it the single largest hub of Ayush healthcare delivery in the country.

How the Funding Works

Under the Centrally-Sponsored Scheme, consolidated funds are released to State and Union Territory governments against proposals submitted through State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs), in accordance with NAM guidelines. Financial assistance is pegged at a unit cost of ₹16.22 lakh per Ayush dispensary and ₹15.744 lakh per sub-centre for upgradation into AAM (Ayush).

What Services AAM (Ayush) Centres Offer

The operational guidelines mandate that each Ayushman Arogya Mandir establish a holistic wellness model grounded in Ayush principles — encompassing Yoga therapy, Ayurveda consultations, and Naturopathy treatments. The focus spans preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative healthcare. Jadhav noted that footfall at these centres has risen following upgradation, as facilities now offer services beyond standard OPD — including Prakriti Parikshan (individual constitution assessment) and structured Yoga-related activities.

Quality Assurance and Monitoring

To ensure standards, the centres are subject to NABH assessments, third-party reviews, and periodic visits by Central government teams across states and Union Territories. These mechanisms cover quality accreditation, training of deployed Ayush practitioners, and monitoring of implementation progress. State and UT governments have additionally been directed to strengthen referral linkages with other public health facilities and to actively involve field-level workers — particularly ASHAs — to improve health outcomes at the grassroots level.

Broader Significance

This comes amid a wider government push to mainstream traditional medicine within India's public health architecture. The renaming of these centres as Ayushman Arogya Mandir aligns with the broader Ayushman Bharat branding, signalling an intent to integrate Ayush services with the country's primary healthcare network. With states now reporting increased beneficiary footfall, the scheme's expansion trajectory will be closely watched in upcoming budget cycles.