Lok Sabha Question No. 113 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-15
Subject: Universal Health Coverage
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: M. UDHAYAKUMAR, NALIN KUMAR KATEEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 113 TO BE ANSWERED ON   15 TH DECEMBER, 2017

## UNIVERSAL HEALTH COV ERAGE

## 113. ADV. M. UDHAYAKUMAR: SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  World  Health Organisation  (WHO)  is  keen  that  India should  have  Universal Health Coverage;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  any proposal  to  launch  a  scheme  titled  N ational Health Protection Scheme, if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has noticed  that  the  Government  of  Karnataka has  proposed  to amend the law governing private medical establishments to provide uni ersal health coverage in the State;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the response thereto; and
- (e) whether the Government is taking any measure to implement universal health access in the country?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a): In  the  UN  General  Assembly  67 th session  held  on  12 th December,  2012,  one  of  the resolutions  adopted  calls  for  strengthening  collaboration  among  member  States,  in  part through the World Health Organisation (WHO) through technical assistance and sharing of practices as well as working with partners , to promote effective implementation of Universal Health Coverage.
- (b): The  Government  has  proposed  to  launch  a  new  health  protection  scheme  which  will provide health cover up to Rupees One Lakh per family belonging to poor and economical weak families. The contours of the scheme are yet to be finalized.
- (c) & (d): As per information received from Government of  Karnataka, the Karnataka Stat Legislature has passed the Karnataka Bill 2017 Private Establishment (Amendment) to ame the existing Act, 2007 .  The following are the objects and reasons of the (Amendment Bill) 201
- i. reconstitute the Registration and Grievance Redressal Authority;
- ii.enhance transparency in display of rates by private medical establishments;
- iii. empower the State Government to fix uniform rates for treatment and procedures under health assurance schemes of the Government;
- iv. specify the Patient's Charter and Private Medical Establishment's Charter in the sch to the Private Medical Establishments Act;
- v. provide for levy of monetary p enalty in case on non - compliance to the Patient's Charter or Private Medical Establishment's Charter;
- vi. remove imprisonment provisions in case of violation of section 12 and 13;
- vii.provide emergency treatment as per the need without insisting on payment of adva nce from patient or representative of patient in specified cases;
- viii. hand over body of the deceased patient to his representative without insisting on payment of the dues;
- ix. enhance certain monetary penalties leviable under section 19; and
- x. Certain other a mendments incidentals or consequential are also made.

## (e): Public health and Hospitals is a state subject.

Under  the  National  Health  Mission  (NHM),  the  Central  Government  is  supporting States/UTs  to  strengthen  their  healthcare  systems  for  provision  of  acc essible,  equitable, affordable and quality healthcare to all the citizens. This support includes support for of a host of free services including for maternal health, child health, adolescent health, planning, universal immunisation progra mme, and for major diseases such as Tuberculosis, HIV/ AIDS, vector borne diseases such as Malaria, Dengue and Kala Azar, Leprosy etc. Other ma initiatives  for  which  states  are  being  supported  include  Janani  Shishu  Suraksha  Kary (JSSK),  Rashtriya  B al  SwasthyaKaryakram  (RBSK),  Rashtriya Kishor  Swasthya  Karyakram (RKSK), implementation  of  NHM  Free  Drugs  and  Free  Diagnostics  Service  Initiatives,  PM National Dialysis Programme, free patient emergency transport and implementation of Nati Quality  Assu rance  Framework.  The  government  has  also  rolled  out  universal  screening  fo women  and  men  aged  30  years  and  above  for  common  Non  Communicable  diseases -Hypertension, Diabetes, and Cancer of the breast, cervix and oral. In the direction of health coverage, the Government has given approval to States for strengthening over 3800 health centres to Health and Wellness Centres for provision of comprehensive primary care.

Under  the  Rashtrya  Swasthya  Bima  Yojana,  cashless  treatment  upto  Rs  30000  is available to specified categories of workers in the unorganised sector for secondary and care hospitalisation. Additional cover of Rs 30000 is available for senior citizen s.