Context:

Recently, the Delhi High Court directed to Delhi Government to sign an MoU with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) before January 5th for the implementation of PM-ABHIM.

More on the News:

• The court was reviewing a suo motu petition (initiated by 
• the court itself) from 2017 along with related petitions concerning health infrastructure in Delhi.
• The court has previously directed the Delhi government to act on the Dr. Sarin Committee report, which recommends improving and streamlining the city's health infrastructure.
• The Delhi government has not fully implemented the PM-ABHIM scheme, though AIIMS reported a pilot project for diagnostic labs at Indira Gandhi Hospital as of December 10, 2024.
• A December 12, 2024 bench order directed National Health Mission officials to hold a meeting to discuss the full implementation of the scheme in Delhi.

What has the court said?

• The court emphasized that the PM-ABHIM scheme should be implemented in its entirety to ensure that Delhi residents benefit from all the facilities and funding under the scheme.
• The court rejected the Delhi government’s claim of using the funds for other projects and stated that 33 other states and UTs have already implemented the scheme.
• The court ordered that the MoU be signed by the Delhi government and Ministry of Health by January 5, 2025.
• The MoU must be submitted to the court for review on the next hearing (by January 13, 2025).
• The court emphasized that the MoU must be signed irrespective of the Model Code of Conduct, as the implementation of the scheme benefits the citizens of Delhi.

Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM)

• It was announced in the Budget speech of Financial Year 21-22, as the Prime Minister Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana (PMASBY) which was later renamed as present.
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) with certain Central Sector Components which has a total outlay of Rs. 64,180 Crores for the scheme period (2021-22 to 2025-26).
• The scheme envisages a new generation of reforms to integrate and strengthen health service delivery and public health action. 
• The measures under the scheme are aimed at strengthening health systems and institutions to provide a continuum of care at all levels, namely primary, secondary, and tertiary, as well as preparing health systems to respond effectively to current and future pandemics and disasters.
• The CSS components of PM-ABHIM are implemented by following the existing framework, institutions and mechanisms of the National Health Mission. 
• MoHFW provides technical and financial support to the States/Union Territories (UTs) for effective implementation of the scheme.
• Public Health and Hospital are State subjects, and implementation of the scheme lies under the purview of the State Government.