**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on December 12th, 2025, to unstarred question No. 2116 regarding the promotion of quality healthcare facilities. It outlines the steps taken by the Government of India to promote certified healthcare facilities and quality standards across the country, particularly in Maharashtra. The document details the various initiatives and support provided to states/UTs to strengthen their healthcare systems.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **National Health Mission (NHM) Support:**
* Financial and technical support is provided to States/UTs up to District Hospitals.
* Support is based on requirements posed by States/UTs in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs).
* Government of India approves proposals in the form of Record of Proceedings (RoPs).
* **Quality Assurance Initiatives:**
* Comprehensive framework implemented includes National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS), LaQshya, MusQan, and Kayakalp.
* NQAS initially applied for District Hospitals (DHs) and extended to Sub-District Hospitals (SDHs), Community Health Centers (CHCs), Ayushman Arogya Mandir-Urban Primary Health Centre (AAM-UPHC), Ayushman Arogya Mandir- Primary Health Centre (AAM-PHC), and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs Sub-Centers (AAM-SHCs).
* **NABH Accreditation:**
* National Accreditation Board of Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) falls under Quality Council of India (QCI).
* Information on NABH accredited hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centers is available at: https://nabh.co/find-a-healthcare-organisation/
* **NQAS Framework:**
* Focuses on service provision, patient rights, inputs, support services, clinical care, infection control, and quality management.
* Aims for better patient outcomes and increased public trust.
* **Accessibility and Awareness:**
* Initiatives to increase accessibility, affordability, and awareness include Ayushman Arogya Mandir, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), Mobile Medical Units, and Free Drugs and Diagnostics Service Initiative.
* **Financial Incentives and Support:**
* Public health facilities achieving NQAS certification are eligible for financial incentives.
* Regular training and capacity building programs are conducted for healthcare staff.
* Guidelines, toolkits, and assessment checklists are provided.
* States, including Maharashtra, are supported in establishing Quality Assurance Committees.
* Technical assistance is extended through empaneled assessors and consultants.
**Impact Analysis**
**States/UTs**
* **Impact:** They receive financial and technical support to strengthen their healthcare systems, including public health facilities up to District Hospitals. They benefit from various quality assurance initiatives like NQAS, LaQshya, and MusQan.
* **Action Required:** States/UTs need to pose their requirements in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) to avail support under the National Health Mission (NHM). They should also establish Quality Assurance Committees and participate in training and capacity-building programs.
**Healthcare Providers (Hospitals, Clinics, Diagnostic Centers)**
* **Impact:** Public health facilities achieving NQAS certification receive financial incentives. All healthcare providers are provided with guidelines, toolkits, and assessment checklists to standardize quality assurance practices.
* **Action Required:** Healthcare providers should strive to achieve NQAS certification to avail financial incentives. They should implement guidelines and participate in training programs to improve the quality of their services.
**Citizens (Patients)**
* **Impact:** Citizens benefit from improved quality, accessibility, and affordability of healthcare services. Trust in healthcare services is also likely to increase.
* **Action Required:** Citizens should be aware of the initiatives undertaken by the government and demand quality healthcare services. They can also provide feedback on the services received.
Key Entities Referenced
National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS): A comprehensive framework aimed at enhancing the quality of care in public health facilities.
National Health Mission (NHM): A program providing financial and technical support to States/UTs to strengthen their healthcare systems.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The primary ministry responsible for health policies and programs.
Maharashtra: A state in India where the impact of healthcare policies is specifically highlighted.
National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH): An organization that provides accreditation to hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic centers.
GOVERNMENT OFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2116
TO BE ANSWERED ON12thDECEMBER, 2025
PROMOTION OFQUALITYHEALTHCARE FACILITIES
2116. DR.AMOLRAMSINGKOLHE:
SHRISANJAYDINAPATIL:
SHRIBHASKARMURLIDHARBHAGARE:
SMT.SUPRIYASULE:
SHRIMOHITEPATILDHAIRYASHEELRAJSINH:
PROF.VARSHAEKNATHGAIKWAD:
Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) whether the Government is aware of a recent survey indicating that 90 percent of Indians
are willing topaymore for certified andqualityhealthcareservices;
(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government to promote certified healthcare facilities, quality
standards andaccreditation across the country,State/UT-wise particularly inMaharashtra;
(c) the number of hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres in the State of Maharashtra that
have obtainedNational Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH),
Joint Commission International (JCI) or other recognized quality certificationsduring the last
three years;
(d) whether the Government has undertaken any assessment of the willingness of citizens in
the said Stateto payfor certifiedhealthcareandif so, the findingsthereof;
(e) the measures being taken by the Government to increase accessibility, affordability and
awareness of certifiedhealthcare services inurbanandrural areasof the said State; and
(f) whether the Government proposes to provide financial incentives, capacity-building or
policy support to healthcare providers in the said State to achieve higher quality standards, if
so, the detailsthereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) to (c): Public Health and Hospital is a State subject. Under National Health Mission
(NHM), financial and technical support is provided to the States/UTs to strengthen their
healthcare systems upto District Hospitals, based on the requirements posed by States/UTs in
their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) within their overall Resource Envelope.
Government of India provides approval for the proposals in the form of Record of
Proceedings(RoPs) aspernorms& available resources.
1The Government of India has successfully implemented comprehensive framework for
National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS), LaQshya (Labour room & Quality
Improvement Initiative), MusQan (Quality improvement initiative of Child Health services)
and Kayakalp aimed at ensuring and enhancing the quality of healthcare services provided at
public healthfacilities inthe countryincludingMaharashtra.
Initially, the NQAS were applied for District Hospitals (DHs), aiming to ensure that services
provided through public health facilities are safe, patient-centric, and of assured quality.
Subsequently, these standards were extended to Sub-District Hospitals (SDHs), Community
Health Centers (CHCs), Ayushman Arogya Mandir -Urban Primary Health Centre (AAM-
UPHC), Ayushman Arogya Mandir- Primary Health Centre (AAM-PHC), and Ayushman
Arogya Mandirs Sub-Centers(AAM-SHCs).
National Accreditation Board of Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) is under
QualityCouncil of India (QCI), anautonomousorganization underDepartment for Promotion
of Industry and Internal Trade. The number of NABH accreditated hospitals, clinics and
diagnostic centres in the country including Maharashtra may be seen at the link:
https://nabh.co/find-a-healthcare-organisation/
(d) to(f): NQAS providesa comprehensive framework aimedat enhancingthe qualityof care
inpublic healthfacilitiesbyfocusing onareassuch asservice provision, patientrights, inputs,
support services, clinical care, infection control, quality management. This lead to better
patientoutcomesandincreased public trust inhealthcareservices.
The various initiatives carried out by Government of India to increase accessibility,
affordability and awareness of healthcare services in urban and rural areas of the country
including Maharashtra are operationalisation of Ayushman Arogya Mandir, Pradhan Mantri
Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), Mobile Medical Units, Free Drugs and Diagnostics Service
Initiative.
Public health facilities that achieve NQAS certification are eligible for predefined category-
wise financial incentives to encourage facilities to sustain quality improvements and reinvest
in patient‑centric services. Regular trainingand capacitybuilding programsare conducted for
healthcare staff on NQAS standards, quality improvement methodologies, and patient safety
protocols. This Ministry also provides guidelines, toolkits, and assessment checklists to
standardize quality assurance practices. States including Maharashtra are supported in
establishing Quality Assurance Committees at multiple levels to monitor progress. Technical
assistance is extended through empaneled assessors and consultants to facilitate external
assessments andhandholdingof facilities.
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