New Delhi : Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda on Thursday reviewed the implementation of major health-sector initiatives announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, stressing the need for timely execution, effective inter-ministerial coordination and measurable outcomes.
During the review meeting, Nadda assessed the preparatory work being undertaken by various departments of the Ministry and emphasised that Budget announcements must translate into concrete programmes, stronger institutions and expanded healthcare capacity within clearly defined timelines.
Emergency and Trauma Care Capacity to be Expanded
The Minister reviewed the initiative to increase emergency and trauma care capacity in District Hospitals by 50 per cent through the establishment and strengthening of Emergency and Trauma Care Centres.
Officials informed the Minister that three committees have been constituted following a post-Budget webinar to examine key areas including infrastructure, drugs, diagnostics and quality; human resources, academic expansion and skilling; and digital architecture and pre-hospital integration.
A comprehensive gap analysis of District Hospitals against the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) has also been completed.
Based on patient load, infrastructure and overall readiness, 613 District Hospitals have been categorised for phased implementation. Of these, 160 hospitals have been identified under Phase I and are targeted for strengthening by March 2027. Phase II will cover 203 hospitals, while the remaining 250 will be taken up under Phase III.
Nadda directed officials to ensure close and regular monitoring so that Phase I is implemented in a focused and time-bound manner.
The Minister also reviewed National Emergency Life Support (NELS) training, aimed at improving the emergency-care skills and competencies of healthcare professionals and frontline personnel. The programme is expected to strengthen preparedness for the timely assessment, stabilisation and management of patients facing life-threatening conditions.
1 Lakh Allied Health Professionals to be Added
Nadda also reviewed the Budget initiative to strengthen the Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) ecosystem, with a target of adding 1 lakh AHPs over the next five years across 10 selected disciplines.
The Ministry has held consultations with industry stakeholders, State Governments, Central and State Government institutions and hospitals, implementing agencies and regulatory bodies.
A draft Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) note has been prepared and circulated to the concerned Ministries and NITI Aayog. The Minister was also informed about the meeting chaired by the Union Finance Minister on July 27, 2026, where various funding options, including a feasible Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model), were discussed.
Focus on Biopharma and Clinical Research
The Minister conducted a detailed review of initiatives being undertaken by the Department of Health Research, including Biopharma SHAKTI and the establishment of five Regional Medical Hubs.
Under Biopharma SHAKTI, consultations with industry stakeholders, sensitisation programmes for medical colleges and clinical-trial training workshops have been conducted to develop a network of more than 1,000 accredited clinical trial sites.
The proposed ₹500-crore initiative envisages a hub-and-spoke clinical trial network, strengthened data and digital systems, a central trial facilitation agency and a site-accreditation framework.
Nadda stressed the importance of developing the necessary institutional and research ecosystem to strengthen India’s biopharmaceutical and clinical research capabilities.
Five Regional Medical Hubs Proposed
Reviewing the proposal for five Regional Medical Hubs, the Minister was informed that inputs have been shared with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
Five priority disease areas have been identified for developing evidence-based integrative treatment protocols: dyslipidaemia, generalized anxiety disorder, cardiovascular diseases, insomnia and osteoarthritis.
Nodal officials from ICMR and CCRAS have also been identified for the proposed working groups.
Nadda highlighted the importance of coordinated efforts among relevant institutions to ensure that the initiative contributes to India’s growing medical value tourism ecosystem.
CDSCO to be Strengthened to Global Standards
The Minister also reviewed the proposal to strengthen the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) through a dedicated scientific review cadre and specialist workforce, with the objective of meeting global regulatory standards and approval timelines.
An Expert Committee constituted to finalise the workforce structure, number of positions, pay levels and the permanent and flexible workforce mix at different levels has submitted its report.
Nadda called for further strengthening of regulatory capacity and scientific expertise to create an efficient, robust and globally benchmarked drug regulatory system.
Major Push for Mental Healthcare
The meeting also reviewed initiatives aimed at strengthening mental healthcare, including the establishment of NIMHANS-II and the upgradation of the Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP), Ranchi, and Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health (LGBRIMH), Tezpur, as Regional Apex Institutions.
The Expert Committee on NIMHANS-II has submitted its report, with the proposed institute envisaged to have a capacity of 1,000 beds.
The proposed strengthening of CIP Ranchi and LGBRIMH Tezpur includes advanced psychiatry, neurology and neurosurgery facilities, along with expanded research, training and academic capabilities.
As an immediate institutional support measure, NIMHANS, Bengaluru will mentor both institutions to address gaps related to administrative and institutional frameworks, academic flexibility, research development, clinical administration and community integration.
Medical Value Tourism Gets Added Focus
Nadda further reviewed the proposal to support States in establishing five Regional Medical Hubs in partnership with the private sector, aimed at positioning India as a global destination for medical value tourism.
The proposed hubs are expected to integrate medical, educational and research facilities with AYUSH Centres, Medical Value Tourism Facilitation Centres, diagnostics, post-care and rehabilitation infrastructure.
Consultations have been held with NATHEALTH, FICCI, Services Export Promotion Council, Invest India, NABH and QCI, along with capacity-building workshops, including a regional workshop in Hyderabad.
Actionable recommendations emerging from these consultations will be forwarded to the National Medical and Wellness Tourism Promotion Board (NMWTPB), Ministry of Tourism, for further action.
Time-Bound Implementation Emphasised
During the review, Nadda underlined that the various Budget initiatives are interconnected and require sustained coordination among Ministries, departments, States, institutions and other stakeholders.
He called for time-bound implementation, regular monitoring, inter-ministerial coordination and clearly defined deliverables, with a strong focus on measurable outcomes.
The Minister also stressed that preparatory activities such as expert consultations, institutional assessments, gap analysis and the development of implementation frameworks must ultimately result in visible improvements on the ground.
Collectively, the initiatives reviewed during the meeting seek to strengthen emergency and trauma care, the allied healthcare and caregiving workforce, drug regulation, clinical research, biopharmaceutical capabilities, mental healthcare, medical education and specialised healthcare infrastructure.
The strengthening of 160 District Hospitals by March 2027, along with ongoing training and the planned skilling of 1.5 lakh caregivers, reflects the Government’s emphasis on translating Budget announcements into tangible improvements in healthcare delivery and workforce capacity.
The meeting was attended by Union Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava; Secretary, Department of Health Research, Dr. Rajiv Bahl; Additional Secretary and MD (NHM), Smt. Aradhana Patnaik; Additional Secretary (Medical Education), Smt. Vinod Kotwal; Additional Secretary, Shri Vijay Nehra, besides all Joint Secretaries and other senior officers of the Ministry.