A high-level delegation from Maharashtra's Public Health Department undertook a three-day study visit to Kerala from 6 to 8 August, examining the southern state's widely regarded public health systems with the aim of adapting select practices to strengthen Maharashtra's own healthcare infrastructure. The visit, announced on 10 August, signals a structured push to make the state's health services more accessible, technology-driven, and citizen-centric.

Who Led the Delegation

The team was led by E. Ravindran, Secretary-II of the Public Health Department, and Sanjay Shripatrao Katkar, Commissioner of Health Services and Mission Director of the National Health Mission (NHM), Maharashtra. Senior officials and technical experts from the Health Services Commissionerate were also part of the delegation.

Key Areas Studied in Kerala

A central focus of the visit was Kerala's Family Health Centre (FHC) model, under which primary health facilities deliver preventive, promotive, diagnostic, curative, and follow-up services under a single platform. The delegation examined how these centres integrate screening and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), maternal and child healthcare, counselling, and regular follow-up. The functioning of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and their role in delivering comprehensive primary care at the community level was also reviewed.

The team additionally studied eHealth Kerala, an integrated digital health platform that connects facilities and enables management of digital health records, referrals, and patient information. This is expected to inform improvements in Maharashtra's continuity of care, referral mechanisms, and patient follow-up systems.

Other areas covered during the visit included population-based screening for NCDs, cancer prevention and care, maternal and newborn health, tuberculosis elimination, antimicrobial resistance control, public health laboratory services, emergency medical services, palliative care, integrated disease surveillance, and medicine procurement and supply-chain management. The delegation paid particular attention to approaches for screening citizens aged 30 years and above for common non-communicable diseases.

What Maharashtra Plans to Adapt

According to health department sources, the objective was not to replicate Kerala's model wholesale, but to identify practical interventions suited to Maharashtra's distinct geographical, demographic, and healthcare context. Key areas identified for further consideration include conversion of selected primary health centres into Family Health Centres, fixed-day service delivery, digital referral and patient follow-up systems, strengthening of public health laboratories, confidential review of maternal deaths, rational use of antibiotics, integrated disease surveillance, palliative care, and smart procurement and supply-chain systems.

Pilot Rollout and Phased Expansion

These interventions are expected to be implemented first on a pilot basis, followed by systematic evaluation. Models that prove successful and locally adaptable will then be considered for phased expansion across Maharashtra, sources said. This approach reflects a cautious, evidence-based strategy — one that avoids the risks of large-scale rollouts before ground-level validation.

The study visit is part of a broader effort by states to learn from each other's health governance successes, a trend that has gained momentum as India pushes toward universal health coverage under the Ayushman Bharat framework.