- Why in news
- On 12 September 2026, Union Health Minister J P Nadda inaugurated 10 Critical Care Blocks and 12 Integrated Public Health Laboratories in Andhra Pradesh under PM-ABHIM.
- What it is
- PM-ABHIM is a centrally sponsored health scheme meant to build health systems that can handle pandemics and public health emergencies. It funds critical care blocks, public health laboratories and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, so that routine care continues during emergencies.
- Objective
- The mission aims to strengthen the health system's response to future pandemics and emergencies while keeping routine healthcare running.
- Critical Care Blocks
- 631 Critical Care Blocks have been sanctioned across States and Union Territories under the scheme.
- Components in Andhra Pradesh
- Andhra Pradesh got approval of ₹1,271.80 crore for five years under four components: CCBs, IPHLs, Urban and Rural Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
- IPHL role
- Integrated Public Health Laboratories provide district-level testing for infectious and non-infectious diseases and support disease surveillance and early outbreak detection.
- Outlay and period
- The scheme has an outlay of Rs 64,180 crore for FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26.
- Nature of scheme
- It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with some Central Sector components. Support goes to States/UTs for district and block level infrastructure and to national institutions.
- Critical care target
- The target is 602 Critical Care Hospital Blocks in all districts with a population of more than 5 lakh.
- District labs
- The target is 730 District Integrated Public Health Labs, one in each district.
- Approvals so far
- CSS approvals worth Rs 32,928.82 crore cover 9,519 rural AAMs, 5,456 urban AAMs, 2,151 BPHUs, 744 IPHLs and 621 CCBs.
- Rural AAM target
- The scheme targets 17,788 building-less Sub-Centres to be built as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
Don’t confuse with PM-ABHIM vs Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY: PM-ABHIM builds health infrastructure and surveillance capacity. PM-JAY is the health insurance cover for hospitalisation.
Don’t confuse with Ayushman Arogya Mandirs vs Critical Care Blocks: Arogya Mandirs give primary care at community level. Critical Care Blocks give intensive care at district hospitals and medical colleges.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Builds surge capacity so that pandemics do not disrupt routine services, as happened during COVID-19.
- Laboratories at district level improve early detection of outbreaks and surveillance.
- Builds primary to tertiary capacity and surveillance to prepare for future pandemics.
- Urban AAMs target slum areas, widening access for the urban poor.
Problems
- Buildings alone do not help; trained intensivists, nurses and technicians are scarce in public hospitals.
- States differ in speed of completing works and operating facilities.
- States reported delays in land availability, prolonged tendering and procurement, and incomplete DPRs.
- Approved units fall short of targets, for example 744 labs approved against 730 planned but 9,519 rural AAMs against 17,788.
Way forward
- Match new infrastructure with recruitment, training and equipment maintenance.
- Track functionality and use of blocks and labs, not only sanctions and civil works.
- Ensure land and site readiness and complete DPRs before approval.
- Strengthen State project management and streamline fund release.
Put in your answer
Hospital-centric to health-system approach: Nadda described PM-ABHIM as linking primary, secondary and tertiary care, from Arogya Mandirs to CCBs and IPHLs.
Out-of-pocket expenditure: Out-of-pocket health spending has declined to 43.4 per cent, as cited by the minister.
Implementation bottlenecks: States faced delays in land, tendering and procurement, coordination with executing agencies and incomplete DPRs.
Outlay: Rs 64,180 crore outlay for FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26.
- 2018Mains GS2 · Q7Explain community healthcare intervention as prerequisite for Health for All.
- 2021Mains GS2 · Q6Analyze primary health structure as moral imperative and development precondition.
- 2024Mains GS2 · Q17Suggest State measures to extend grassroots public healthcare reach.
- 2022Prelims Q19Statements on Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission: adoption, universal coverage, portability.
- 2023Prelims Q30How many listed sectors, including health care, count as infrastructure?
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Statements
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following statements:
- 1.PM-ABHIM is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme that also has some Central Sector components.
- 2.The scheme provides for Critical Care Hospital Blocks in all districts with a population of more than 10 lakh.
- 3.The urban Ayushman Arogya Mandirs under the scheme focus on slum and slum-like areas.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
True or false?
1 of 5
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.PM-ABHIM is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme that also has some Central Sector components.
True. It is a CSS with some Central Sector components.
2.The scheme period of PM-ABHIM is FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26.
True. The scheme period is five years, FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26.
3.The scheme plans one District Integrated Public Health Lab in each district.
True. Each district is to have one such lab.
4.The urban Ayushman Arogya Mandirs under the scheme focus on slum and slum-like areas.
True. Urban AAMs focus on slum and slum-like areas.
5.Under the CSS components, support is provided for the establishment of 3,382 Block Public Health Units at block level.
True. The BPHU target is 3,382.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.