Public Health Triumph in Puducherry: Evaluating PM-JAY Outcomes from the Ground Up

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.8, as defined by the World Health
Organization, aims to achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection,
access to quality essential health-care services, and affordable, safe, and effective medicines and
vaccines for all.[1] Ayushman Bharat, the flagship initiative of the Government of India, was
launched in line with the recommendations of the National Health Policy 2017 to realize the goal
of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This program is aligned with the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) and reflects the core principle of "leaving no one behind."[2] The National Health
Authority (NHA) is the apex body responsible for implementing India’s flagship public health
insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). It has
also been entrusted with the task of formulating strategy, developing technological infrastructure,
and implementing the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to establish a national digital
health ecosystem. The NHA is leading the ABDM’s rollout in collaboration with various
ministries, state governments, private sector stakeholders, and civil society organizations.[3]
Ayushman Bharat is an attempt to move from sectoral and segmented approach of health service
delivery to a comprehensive need-based health care service. This scheme aims to undertake path
breaking interventions to holistically address the healthcare system (covering prevention,
promotion and ambulatory care) at the primary, secondary and tertiary level.[2]
Ayushman Bharat is designed to implement transformative interventions that address
the entire spectrum of healthcare across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. It follows a
continuum-of-care approach and consists of two interrelated components:[4]