Lok Sabha Question No. 928 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-21
Subject: Healthcare of Habitations with Poor Quality of Water
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: SHASHI THAROOR

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 928 TO BE ANSWERED ON  21 ST JULY, 2017

## HEALTHCARE OF HABITA TIONS WITH POOR QUAL ITY OF WATER

## 928. DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to consider providing quality medical care to habit where quality of water is affected with contaminants like arsenic, fluoride and iron etc.;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE ( SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL )

(a) to (c) : Provision of safe drinking water and health services falls within the remit of the State/UT Governments. However, the Government of India has taken steps both for facilita availa bility of safe drinking water and also for ensuring effective s urveillance of outbreaks of water borne diseases and their prevention and management.

As  informed  by  the  Ministry  of  Drinking  Water  &  Sanitation,  all  States  have  b informed to commission surface water based piped water supply schemes in all habitations long term sustainable solution. Ho wever, since these projects have a long gestation period (say -5 years) and the rural people cannot be put to the risk of consuming contaminated wat States have also been advised to install community water purification plants. This has be with  the  objective  of  providing  8 - 10  litres  of  safe  water  per  capita  per  day  for  drinking  a cooking purposes only.

Government  of  India  started  the  National  Programme  for  Prevention  and  Control  o Fluorosis (NPPCF) in the 11th Five Year Plan.  So far, 132 d istricts of 19 States have been covered under the programme. The important components of the programme are surveillance fluorosis  in  the  community,  Information,  Education  and  Communication  (IEC)  activiti capacity  building  in  the  form  of  training  and manpower  support,  establishment  of  diagnostic facilities, management of fluorosis cases including treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, education.

Contd……..

The Guidelines 'Detection, Prevention and Management of Arsenicosis in India - A Field Guide' have also been finalized by an expert Committee and sent to the Arsenic affected States (i.e. Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh & West Bengal). State Governments also  advised  to  strengthen  Distt./CHC  infrastructure  for  early  diagno sis,  management  and treatment of Arsenic affected cases and for this purpose seek necessary support in the St submitted under NHM.

The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi provides technical assistance State/UT  Governments  on  preven tion  and  control  of  water - borne  diseases  in  carrying  out investigation of outbreaks of such diseases under Integrated Disease Surveillance Prog (IDSP).  At  the  National  level,  NCDC  also  coordinates  laboratory  support  for  outbr investigations, beside s conducting regular training courses for development of traine manpower.

Health  System  Strengthening  support  being  given  to  the  State  Governments  unde National  Health  Mission  (NHM)  also  enhances  capacity  of  the  Health  Institutions,  up  t district le vel, to treat and manage water borne diseases.

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