NQAS certification: 3 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Gandhinagar clear 90% quality benchmark
Synopsis
Three government health centres in Gandhinagar have cleared a rigorous 12-standard federal quality audit with scores above 90 per cent — a rare achievement for primary care facilities in India. Their certification under NQAS signals that grassroots healthcare in Gujarat is moving beyond basic delivery toward measurable quality benchmarks.
Key Takeaways
Three Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Shahpur , Kantha , and Veda , Gandhinagar, have received NQAS certification from the Union Health Ministry.
All three centres scored over 90 per cent in assessments conducted by the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC) .
Certification covers 12 key standards including maternal care, child health, mental health, NCD screening, and free medicine distribution.
Each centre offers 14 types of on-site laboratory tests at no cost to patients.
The achievement is expected to encourage other Gujarat districts to pursue NQAS accreditation under the Ayushman Bharat framework.
Three Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Gandhinagar, Gujarat have been awarded the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) certification by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, recognising their delivery of quality primary healthcare services to thousands of residents. The health centres — located in Shahpur, Kantha, and Veda — each recorded an overall assessment score of over 90 per cent, according to the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC).
What the Certification Covers
The NQAS award follows a virtual assessment conducted by a team representing six departments under the Union Health Ministry. The three centres were evaluated against 12 key standards spanning oral healthcare, primary eye, ear, nose, and throat care, antenatal and maternity services, neonatal and child health, mental healthcare, non-communicable disease management, and free medicine distribution.
The assessment process is overseen by the NHSRC, which periodically evaluates Primary Health Centres across India. A team from six different departments participated in the review, and all three Gandhinagar facilities cleared every benchmark on the checklist.
Services Available at the Centres
Residents in the catchment areas of these mandirs have access to medical consultations, laboratory testing, and medicines — all free of charge. The centres also run national health programmes including tuberculosis elimination and vector-borne disease control, alongside free screening for non-communicable diseases such as blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer.
Dr Kirti Das Chaudhary of the Ayushman Arogya Mandir said, 'Twelve types of services are available here. We conduct 14 types of on-site lab tests. All national health program activities are carried out here, including programs aimed at preventing infectious diseases.'
District Quality Assurance Medical Officer Dr Dharmesh V. Parikh confirmed that the centres had 'successfully met the checklists and criteria established by the authorities.'
Residents Speak on Ground-Level Impact
Local beneficiaries described the practical difference these centres have made. Resident Hitendra Rathod said, 'If there is any problem, one can get primary care. Treatment for conditions like malaria and tuberculosis is available. Doctors treat everyone here, and ambulance services are also provided when needed.'
Sangeetaben Prajapati noted, 'All facilities are available, we get medicines for blood pressure and diabetes. Treatment for common ailments is also provided.'
Broader Significance for Gujarat
This achievement in Gandhinagar is being seen as a benchmark for other districts in the state. Health officials indicated that the certification is expected to motivate additional districts to pursue NQAS accreditation as part of Gujarat's broader commitment to improving grassroots healthcare access. The Ayushman Arogya Mandir network — rebranded from the earlier Health and Wellness Centre model under Ayushman Bharat — is central to the Centre's strategy of shifting primary care closer to communities and reducing dependence on tertiary facilities.
Point of View
But the more important question is replicability: Gandhinagar is the state capital, with administrative proximity and resource access that most districts lack. Whether this model travels to tribal and remote talukas in Gujarat will be the real test of the Ayushman Arogya Mandir programme's equity promise. The certification is a milestone worth recognising; it should not become a photo-op that substitutes for systemic expansion.
NationPress
26 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NQAS certification awarded to the Gandhinagar health centres?
The National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) certification is awarded by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to health facilities that meet a defined set of quality benchmarks. The three Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in Gandhinagar — at Shahpur, Kantha, and Veda — received this certification after scoring over 90 per cent in a virtual assessment across 12 standards.
What services are available at these Ayushman Arogya Mandirs?
The centres offer free medical consultations, 14 types of on-site laboratory tests, and medicines. They also provide antenatal and maternity care, child health services, mental healthcare, NCD screening for blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer, and run national programmes for tuberculosis elimination and vector-borne disease control.
Who conducted the quality assessment for these health centres?
The assessment was conducted virtually by a team representing six departments under the Union Health Ministry. The National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), which periodically evaluates Primary Health Centres across India, oversaw the process.
Why does this certification matter for Gujarat's healthcare system?
It demonstrates that government-run primary care facilities can meet federal quality standards, reducing the need for patients to travel to larger hospitals for basic services. Health officials expect the Gandhinagar example to motivate other districts in Gujarat to pursue NQAS accreditation.
What is the Ayushman Arogya Mandir programme?
Ayushman Arogya Mandirs are rebranded Health and Wellness Centres operating under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the Centre's flagship primary healthcare initiative. They are designed to deliver comprehensive primary care — including preventive, promotive, and curative services — at the community level, free of cost.
