NEW DELHI: The centre has spent over Rs. 50 crores to alter the identify of Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) to Ayushman Arogya Mandir, an RTI has revealed.

The Union Health Ministry introduced the renaming of its flagship programme, which goals to supply free well being care companies and medical insurance protection to low-income earners within the nation, on November 25, final yr.

Five days after the sudden renaming of the programme, RTI activist Dr Okay V Babu filed an RTI.

“As per the RTI reply, Rs. 3,000 were to be spent for renaming each of the over 1.6 AB-HWCs. This means the total expenditure incurred in renaming these AB-HWCs cost the exchequer over Rs. 50 crore,” Babu told this newspaper.

According to the official website, there are 1,67,891 Ayushman Arogya Mandir in the country since its launch in 2018.

“There is nothing to suggest any upgradation of infrastructure or increase in the manpower of health care facilities along with the renaming. Unfortunately, huge amounts of money are spent on cosmetic exercises when the funding is already limited in the health sector in our country,” he added.

The Kerala-based Babu, an ophthalmologist, stated that an unnamed competent authority has made the “determination to rename AB-HWCs.”

He stated his RTI went backwards and forwards between the Union Health Ministry and the National Health Authority (NHA), an apex physique accountable for implementing India’s flagship public medical insurance scheme referred to as Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PM-JAY), a number of occasions within the final three months.

He lastly acquired a reply from the well being ministry on February 8.

However, that too was incomplete, because the ministry didn’t share details about communications with the stakeholders, particulars of budgets for any infrastructure improve or enhance in human assets, and different related recordsdata.

In his RTI reply, he acquired letters issued by Additional Secretary and Mission Director (National Health Mission) L S Changsan, which states how the brand new title needs to be modified with the tagline “ Arogyam Paramam Dhanam” – each in Hindi and English – the fonts for use, logos and different particulars are talked about.

The letter stated that the funds required to rename the prevailing branded amenities could also be proposed at Rs. 3,000 per facility.

The states have been requested to implement and full the train by December 31, 2023.

In one other letter, dated December 21, to the states, Changsan stated that just a few states have already began the renaming train and requested the remaining to finish the method.

The further secretary once more wrote a letter to the states on January 2, requesting them to challenge essential authorities orders to undertake uniform renaming as per the rules and to finish it inside the prescribed timeframe, which was prolonged to January 31, 2024.

The letter says that discipline groups could also be directed to repaint the brand new names on the constructing and never simply put flex boards/banners.

“The tagline must also feature near the new name. The placement of the NHM logo and six service logos must also be ensured. One photo each of only the renamed centres is to be uploaded to the new utility developed on the portal, and the same is to be verified at the state level for appropriateness. Please note that the images approved at the national level after verification will only be considered compliant. All states are requested to complete the renaming exercise by 31.01.2024 positively,” the letter stated.

Under the Ayushman Bharat (AB) scheme, the centre not solely supplies free healthcare companies but in addition the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), which supplies medical insurance cowl for Rs. 5 lakhs per yr to eligible households within the nation.