Healthcare Quality

New Delhi

The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday announced that India has crossed a historic milestone of over 50,000 National Quality Assurance Standards, or NQAS, certifications, strengthening public healthcare services nationwide. As of December 31, a total of 50,373 public health facilities across states and union territories have been certified under the quality framework set by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The ministry called the achievement a proud moment for the country’s public health system. It said the milestone shows the government’s strong commitment to quality, safety, and patient focused care, especially for poor, vulnerable, and marginalised communities. Officials added that the effort helps ensure equal access to reliable healthcare services across India.

The NQAS programme began in 2015 with only 10 certified facilities, mainly district hospitals. Its aim was to improve patient safety, service quality, and accountability. Over the years, the framework expanded to include sub district hospitals, community health centres, Ayushman Arogya Mandir primary health centres, urban primary health centres, and sub health centres.

The introduction of virtual assessments has played a major role in expanding coverage. Certified facilities rose sharply from 6,506 in December 2023 to 22,786 by December 2024. This number further jumped to 50,373 by December 2025, marking progress short period.

Of the total, 48,663 are Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, while 1,710 are secondary care facilities such as CHCs, SDHs, and district hospitals. The ministry said the growth supports India’s Universal Health Coverage goals under the National Health Policy 2017. It credited capacity building, digital tools, more assessors, and quality improvement for the success.