Abbott, Americares India Foundation in action: тАЩ75 PHCs in nine states to be upgraded by early 2024тА▓
Global healthcare firm тАШAbbottтАЩ has committed to upgrade 75 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) across nine states in the country, in partnership with health-focused relief and development organisation тАШAmericares India FoundationтАЩ.
The HWC programme тАФ supported by an Abbott grant of about Rs 200 million (US $2.4 million) тАФ aims at serving over 2.5 million people from the under-resourced communities every year. The centres are vital to help the governmentтАЩs Ayushman Bharat initiative, advancing access to affordable and quality healthcare equitably across the population.
Currently, 16 PHCs in Maharashtra, Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have been upgraded as part of the first phase of the programme, serving over 5 lakh people. It plans to upgrade the remaining 59 PHCs across these states, along with Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand by early 2024, said officials.
The initiative focuses on three key objectives: To upgrade local PHCs to HWCs, drive capacity building for healthcare workers, and improve community awareness around NCDs and infectious diseases.
тАЬBy expanding access to services across prevention, treatment and care, the low-income population can benefit from an improved awareness of health and wellness, greater access and timely care, which will lead to better health outcomes,тАЭ Jasraj Virdi, Global Citizenship and Sustainability Director of Abbott, said in a statement.
