diff --git a/cv-matcher-api/Controllers/HealthController.cs b/cv-matcher-api/Controllers/HealthController.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cb8cd2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cv-matcher-api/Controllers/HealthController.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
+
+namespace Api.Controllers
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Controller that exposes simple health and readiness endpoints for the API.
+    /// Routes are prefixed with "api/health".
+    /// </summary>
+    [ApiController]
+    [Route("api/[controller]")]
+    public sealed class HealthController : ControllerBase
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Liveness probe.
+        /// Indicates whether the process is running. Used by orchestration systems to confirm the process is alive.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <returns>
+        /// 200 OK with JSON payload: { "status": "alive" } when the process is running.
+        /// </returns>
+        // GET api/health/live
+        [HttpGet("live")]
+        public IActionResult Live() => Ok(new { status = "alive" });
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Basic health check endpoint.
+        /// Returns overall status and the current server time in UTC.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <returns>
+        /// 200 OK with JSON payload: { "status": "ok", "time": &lt;UTC time&gt; }.
+        /// </returns>
+        // GET api/health
+        [HttpGet]
+        public IActionResult Health() => Ok(new { status = "ok", time = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow });
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Echo endpoint.
+        /// Returns the received JSON payload unchanged. Useful for testing request/response plumbing.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="payload">Arbitrary JSON from the request body. The endpoint returns the same object.</param>
+        /// <returns>200 OK with the same JSON payload provided in the request body.</returns>
+        // POST api/health/echo
+        [HttpPost("echo")]
+        public IActionResult Echo(object payload) => Ok(payload);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Readiness probe.
+        /// Indicates whether the service is ready to accept traffic. Typically checks downstream dependencies.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <returns>
+        /// 200 OK with JSON { "status": "ready" } when ready;
+        /// 503 Service Unavailable with JSON { "status": "not_ready" } when not ready.
+        /// </returns>
+        // GET api/health/ready
+        [HttpGet("ready")]
+        public IActionResult Ready()
+        {
+            var ready = true;
+
+            return ready
+                ? Ok(new { status = "ready" })
+                : StatusCode(503, new { status = "not_ready" });
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cv-matcher-api/Program.cs b/cv-matcher-api/Program.cs
index f640e1a..ce602b9 100644
--- a/cv-matcher-api/Program.cs
+++ b/cv-matcher-api/Program.cs
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ try
     app.UseSwaggerInDevelopment(ServiceName, ServiceName);
 
     app.MapControllers();
-    app.MapHealthEndpoint(ServiceName, appVersion);
 
     Log.Information("Running EF Core migrations if any");
     using (var scope = app.Services.CreateScope())
diff --git a/rag-api/Controllers/HealthController.cs b/rag-api/Controllers/HealthController.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cb8cd2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rag-api/Controllers/HealthController.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
+
+namespace Api.Controllers
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Controller that exposes simple health and readiness endpoints for the API.
+    /// Routes are prefixed with "api/health".
+    /// </summary>
+    [ApiController]
+    [Route("api/[controller]")]
+    public sealed class HealthController : ControllerBase
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Liveness probe.
+        /// Indicates whether the process is running. Used by orchestration systems to confirm the process is alive.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <returns>
+        /// 200 OK with JSON payload: { "status": "alive" } when the process is running.
+        /// </returns>
+        // GET api/health/live
+        [HttpGet("live")]
+        public IActionResult Live() => Ok(new { status = "alive" });
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Basic health check endpoint.
+        /// Returns overall status and the current server time in UTC.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <returns>
+        /// 200 OK with JSON payload: { "status": "ok", "time": &lt;UTC time&gt; }.
+        /// </returns>
+        // GET api/health
+        [HttpGet]
+        public IActionResult Health() => Ok(new { status = "ok", time = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow });
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Echo endpoint.
+        /// Returns the received JSON payload unchanged. Useful for testing request/response plumbing.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="payload">Arbitrary JSON from the request body. The endpoint returns the same object.</param>
+        /// <returns>200 OK with the same JSON payload provided in the request body.</returns>
+        // POST api/health/echo
+        [HttpPost("echo")]
+        public IActionResult Echo(object payload) => Ok(payload);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Readiness probe.
+        /// Indicates whether the service is ready to accept traffic. Typically checks downstream dependencies.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <returns>
+        /// 200 OK with JSON { "status": "ready" } when ready;
+        /// 503 Service Unavailable with JSON { "status": "not_ready" } when not ready.
+        /// </returns>
+        // GET api/health/ready
+        [HttpGet("ready")]
+        public IActionResult Ready()
+        {
+            var ready = true;
+
+            return ready
+                ? Ok(new { status = "ready" })
+                : StatusCode(503, new { status = "not_ready" });
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rag-api/Program.cs b/rag-api/Program.cs
index 1c2acd7..daadebf 100644
--- a/rag-api/Program.cs
+++ b/rag-api/Program.cs
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ try
     app.UseSwaggerInDevelopment(ServiceName, ServiceName);
 
     app.MapControllers();
-    app.MapHealthEndpoint(ServiceName, appVersion);
 
     Log.Information("Running EF Core migrations if any");
     using (var scope = app.Services.CreateScope())
diff --git a/startup-helpers/StartupExtensions.cs b/startup-helpers/StartupExtensions.cs
index 7bda41c..65b6c80 100644
--- a/startup-helpers/StartupExtensions.cs
+++ b/startup-helpers/StartupExtensions.cs
@@ -215,15 +215,4 @@ public static class StartupExtensions
             options.RoutePrefix = "swagger";
         });
     }
-
-    public static void MapHealthEndpoint(this WebApplication app, string serviceName, string appVersion)
-    {
-        app.MapGet("/health", () => Results.Ok(new
-        {
-            status = "ok",
-            service = serviceName,
-            version = appVersion,
-            timeUtc = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow
-        }));
-    }
 }