New Delhi: Christian-majority states of Nagaland and Mizoram have reiterated their request to the Union government to exempt them from the rebranding exercise of Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre. In November last year, the Centre had decided to rename its flagship programme as Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs.
Both Mizoram and Nagaland have objected to the use of the word ‘mandir’ in the new name, which largely identifies with the Hindu faith.
Citing the “sentiments” of the church and the local populace, these states continue to stick to the nomenclature of “health and wellness centre” as they await a word from the Centre on their objection, the Indian Express reported.
After the mission director of the National Health Mission, L.S. Changsan had first communicated about the change to the states in November last year through a letter, Mizoram in January this year expressed its reservations over the name change.
Mizoram’s principal secretary Esther Lal Ruatkimi wrote to the then Union health secretary in January, saying, “I would like to express my concern regarding the instructions for rebranding of existing Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) as Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM).”
Also read: Union Govt Renames Ayushman Bharat Health Centres ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandirs’
She went on to add, “As you are aware, Mizoram is a Christian state with more than 90% of the population identifying as Christian. It is felt that in order to continue to garner public support for public health activities for health promotion, this rebranding may foster adverse sentiments among the populace towards the government. I, therefore, request you to kindly exempt Mizoram from this activity.”
Mizoram followed up on this once again in February: “It is again requested to exempt Mizoram from the renaming of Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres as Ayushman Arogya Mandir.”
In March, Nagaland weighed in on the issue. “… the state government has serious reservations about such a move since it will offend the religious sentiments of the people of the State, and is likely to attract strong objections from the Church and Civil Societies…I am directed to convey the request of the state government that the State may be exempted from being required to rename the Ayushman Bharat and Wellness Centres,” wrote V Kezo, the state’s commission and secretary, health and family welfare.
Kezo told the Indian Express that there has been no response from the Centre yet, while the state continues to use the previous name. “We have not received any communication from the Centre on the request (to be exempted from the re-branding exercise),” Kezo said.
Earlier, in February this year, Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, in the Lok Sabha had sought details from the Union health ministry on the reasons behind including the word ‘Mandir’ in the name. He had also sought to know whether states and Union territories would be allowed to translate the word ‘Mandir’ into local languages.
“Realising the importance of Ayushman Bharat — Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWC) as India’s flagship programme to progress towards Universal Health Coverage, Government of India renamed all AB-HWCs as ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandir’ with the tagline ‘Arogyam Parmam Dhanam’ to realise the dream of Ayushman Bharat i.e. Healthy India,” the then minister of state in the ministry of health and family welfare said, Dr Bharati Pawar, said in her reply to the unstarred question on February 9.
