In what is being said to be a landmark achievement of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, India has surpassed 150,000 operational Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) before December 31, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said on Friday. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated the nation on this achievement saying that India had successfully achieved the goal it had set out to accomplish. “PM Narendra Modi had set a target of starting 1.5 lakh AB-HWCs in the country by December 2022. I am happy to inform you that today we have achieved this target. These centres will definitely strengthen the primary health care of the citizens,” the Union Health minister tweeted “Delivered, what said. Achieving the set target, 1,50,000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centers became functional in the country,” read a post on the BJP’s official Twitter handle. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, applauded the efforts of the nation in accomplishing this feat before the set deadline, saying that these centres will strive to provide citizens easy access and primary healthcare facilities. “Fulfilling the principles of ‘Antyoday’- leaving no one behind, 150,000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) are transforming the delivery of comprehensive primary health care services which are universally free and cater to all age groups from birth to death, through a continuum of care approach. Ensuring the reach of healthcare services to the innermost regions of the nation through various initiatives, AB-HWCs have surpassed 8.5 teleconsultations via e-Sanjeevni, where nearly 4 lakh teleconsultations take place on a daily basis,” the Health ministry said in a press note.