Chandigarh: Haryana has emerged as a frontrunner in public healthcare reforms, surpassing national quality benchmarks under the National Quality Assurance Programme (NQAP) and the Kayakalp Award initiative. This was disclosed by Dr. Sumita Misra, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, after a review meeting held in Chandigarh today.
The Haryana State Health Resource Centre (HSHRC) has certified 1,560 public health facilities, achieving a 57 per cent certification rate, significantly exceeding the initial target of 50 per cent set for December 2025. Haryana’s performance under the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) has positioned it among the top-performing states in India. The programme ensures standardized healthcare delivery while also providing financial incentives to institutions achieving certification
The state has recorded several national milestones. The District Civil Hospital in Panchkula became India’s first NQAS-certified district hospital in April 2017. This was followed by the Urban Primary Health Centre at Krishna Nagar Gamri, which emerged as the country’s first certified urban primary health facility in February 2018. In June 2022, the District Civil Hospital in Faridabad achieved another distinction by becoming the first ‘MusQan’-certified district hospital in India. More recently, in June 2024, the Ayushman Arogya Mandir Sub-Centre at Raipur in Sonipat became the first facility in the country to be virtually assessed and certified under the programme.
The NQAS certifications have shown consistent progress across all levels of healthcare delivery. Nearly all district hospitals in the state—21 in total—have achieved certification, reflecting an impressive 95 per cent coverage. Among sub-district hospitals, 16 facilities have been certified, accounting for 57 per cent. At the grassroots level, Ayushman Arogya Mandir Sub-Centres have demonstrated significant advancement, with 1,342 centres, or 65 per cent, attaining certification. Meanwhile, 134 primary health centres have also met the standards, representing 35 per cent certification at that level.
As a foundation towards achieving NQAS, the Kayakalp Award Programme has played a crucial role in strengthening sanitation, infection control, and biomedical waste management across public health institutions. During the 2025–26 fiscal year, the state carried out an extensive evaluation exercise in which 2,548 facilities completed internal assessments, while 2,645 facilities underwent peer assessments. Out of these, 416 facilities qualified for external assessments.
Notably, as many as 1,539 facilities scored above 70 per cent, making them eligible for Kayakalp incentives. This achievement includes all 21 district hospitals, 40 sub-district hospitals, and more than 1,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandir Sub-Centres. In addition, special incentives were granted to two facilities one district hospital and one community health centre for their outstanding performance as eco-friendly institutions.
To sustain and expand these quality improvements, Kayakalp monetary incentives of Rs. 5.39 crores will be provided to health facilities underlining the state’s continued financial commitment to strengthening healthcare standards.
With 1,560 facilities already certified, HSHRC has now set an ambitious target of achieving complete, 100 per cent NQAS certification across all public health facilities in Haryana by December 2026. Dr. Misra stated that this goal will be pursued through sustained monitoring, capacity building, and infrastructure enhancement.
The steady expansion of certified facilities, coupled with improved hygiene and service standards, reflects a significant transformation in Haryana’s public healthcare system. By aligning quality assurance mechanisms with policy support and financial incentives, the state is steadily moving towards delivering accessible, standardized, and patient-centric healthcare services, setting a benchmark for others to follow.
