Threefold rise in no. of CGHS wellness centres

New Delhi: There has been a threefold increase in the number of Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) wellness centres and the cities covered by such centres have grown from 25 in 2014 to 75 now, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Wednesday.

This is in line with vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide easily accessible healthcare services closer to the communities, he said after virtully inaugurating a CGHS wellness centre in Silchar in Assam.

"In a significant achievement to strengthen the country's health infrastructure and accessibility to CGHS services, there has been a threefold increase in the number of CGHS wellness centres. The cities covered by CGHS wellness centres have grown from 25 in 2014 to 75 now," he said.

Mandaviya reiterated the commitment of the central government to providing easily accessible quality healthcare services to the beneficiaries. He stated that the new CGHS centre at Silchar will provide healthcare services to serving and retired central government employees residing not only in Silchar but neighbouring districts of Karimganj and Hailakandi.

He pointed out that despite Silchar being one of the major cities in the Barak Valley, beneficiaries had to travel more than 180 km to avail CGHS facilities in Aizawl or 208 km in Shillong.

The new wellness centre would cater to the medical needs of several thousands of beneficiaries and would mitigate their hardships, as they will not be required to travel to such far away places now, the ministry said.

It will provide outpatient services including medicines, referral for investigations and indoor treatment at government and empanelled hospitals. Cashless facilities will be provided in empanelled hospitals, it said.