The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare detailed its initiatives under the National Health Mission (NHM) to strengthen public healthcare in rural areas. While health is a State subject, the Ministry provides technical and financial support to States/UTs based on Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) received, with approvals granted through Record of Proceedings (RoPs) as per norms and available resources.
Under the Free Drugs Service Initiative (FDSI), financial support is provided for essential drugs across different levels of public health facilities: 113 drugs at Sub Health Centre level, 179 at Primary Health Centre level, 301 at Community Health Centre level, 318 at Sub District Hospital level, and 381 drugs at district Hospitals.
The Free Diagnostics Service Initiative provides accessible and affordable pathological and radiological diagnostics services free of cost at all levels of public health facilities, including 14 tests at Sub Centers, 63 at Primary Health Centers, 97 at Community Health Centres, 111 tests at Sub District Hospitals, and 134 tests at District Hospitals, aimed at reducing Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE).
To address human resource challenges, NHM supplements regular staff by filling gaps in secondary and primary care facilities as per Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS). Various incentives and honorariums are provided, including hard area allowances for specialist doctors serving in rural and remote areas, honorarium to Gynecologists/EmOC trained doctors, Pediatricians & Anesthetists/LSAS trained doctors, special incentives for doctors, incentives for ANMs for timely ANC checkups, and incentives for conducting adolescent health activities. States are allowed to offer negotiable salaries through strategies like "You Quote We Pay" and non-monetary incentives such as preferential admission in post-graduate courses and improved accommodation arrangements. Multi-skilling of doctors and skill upgradation of existing HR are also supported under NHM to overcome specialist shortages.