Raipur (Chhattisgarh), August 19 (HBTV): Bastar division of Chhattisgarh is undergoing a significant transformation in healthcare under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, with national-level quality certifications, specialist recruitments, and direct health aid extending services to even the remotest parts of the Naxal-affected region.
Between January 2024 and mid-June 2025, as many as one hundred thirty health institutions in Bastar secured certification under the National Quality Assurance Standards. These included one district hospital, sixteen Primary Health Centres, and one hundred thirteen Sub-Health Centres. Fourteen of these institutions are in the sensitive districts of Kanker, Bijapur, Sukma, and Dantewada, while another sixty-five facilities are in the process of certification.
At the same time, Ayushman card enrolments have expanded rapidly under the state’s Niyad Nellanar Scheme. In just one year, thirty-six thousand two hundred thirty-one cards were issued in Bastar, achieving more than fifty-two per cent coverage. As a result, six thousand eight hundred sixteen beneficiaries have already received treatment worth over Rs eight crore, providing timely relief to thousands of families.
To strengthen the system, the state has recruited thirty-three medical specialists, one hundred seventeen medical officers, and one dental surgeon in the past eighteen months, alongside seventy-five state-level and more than three hundred district-level staff. Recruitment is under way for nearly three hundred additional posts.
Chief Minister Sai credited the turnaround to the commitment of Mitanins, health workers, and staff, saying, 'Bastar has always been a focus area for our government, and we are committed to strengthening it further.' Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal highlighted the success of the Malaria-Free Bastar campaign, which is driving door-to-door testing, treatment, and awareness programmes. He noted that institutions across Bastar are now achieving model-level performance under the quality standards framework.
The government has made it a clear priority to extend quality healthcare to conflict-affected districts, marking a fundamental shift in access for citizens in areas once left behind. To personally review the progress, Health Minister Jaiswal will tour Bastar from August five to seven, with inspections planned at district hospitals, medical colleges, and field visits in Bijapur and Sukma.
Officials described the healthcare advances as a national model, showing how focused leadership and consistent implementation can drive change in the most difficult circumstances. Bastar, once synonymous with neglect and conflict, is now steadily shaping a new identity anchored in development, empowerment, and better health outcomes. (ANI)