Lok Sabha Question No. 2308 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-01
Subject: National Health Stack
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, Shrirang Appa Barne, ANTO  ANTONY, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, DHARMENDRA YADAV

.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PLANNING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2308 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2018

## NATIONAL HEALTH STACK

2308. SHRI KUNMWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT:

SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

Will the MINISTER OF PLANNING be pleased to state:

- (a) whether there is increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases and climbing out -ofpocket costs on healthcare is becoming difficult  for most households  and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Union Government has proposed National Health Stack (NHS) for all citizens of the country in order to streamline the health information and facilitate effective management of the same;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  NHS  will  significantly  bring  down  the  costs  of  health  protection,  converge disparate systems to ensure a cashless and seamlessly integrated experience for the poorest beneficiaries; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the time by which the NHS is likely to be created and the extent to which it will promote wellness across the population?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS

## (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

- (a): Yes Madam. As per the report  on 'India: Health of the Nation's States- The India State -Level Disease Burden Initiative'  published by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the disease burden trends in States of India show an increase in the contribution of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) from 30% of total disease burden in 1990 to 55% in 2016.

Though public  health  is  a  State  subject,  Central  Government  supplements  the  efforts  of  the  State Governments. Under National Health Mission Free Drugs and Free Diagnostics initiative, essential drugs and diagnostics are provided free of cost in public health facilities. The out of pocket expenditure as percent of the total health expenditure has decreased over the years from 69.4% in 2004-05 to 62.6% in 2014-15 (source: National Health Accounts, 2014-15, Ministry of Health & Family welfare).

(b) & (c): Yes, Madam. The Strategy and Approach paper on the National Health Stack which is a blueprint for India's futuristic digital health system has been prepared by NITI Aayog. The National Health Stack will facilitate collection of comprehensive healthcare data, manage master health data of the nation across the country and create a framework to help India to move towards electronic patient health record.

(d) & (e): With the adoption of the technology approach as envisaged in National Health Stack , the Government's policies on health and health protection can achieve Continuum of Care as the Stack supports information flow across primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare, can focus from illness to wellness  to  drive  down  future  cost  of  health  protection,  enable  cashless  care  to  ensure  financial protection to the poor, timely payments on scientific package rates to service providers, a strong lever to  participate  in  government-funded  healthcare  programs,  robust  fraud  detection  to  prevent  funds leakage, improved policy making through access to timely reporting on utilization and measurement of  impact  across  health  initiatives  and  enhanced  trust  and  accountability  through  non-repudiable transaction audit trails.

This  Strategy and Approach paper on NHS is currently placed on the official website of NITI (http://www.niti.gov.in/writereaddata/files/document\_publication/NHS-Strategy-and-ApproachDocument-for-consultation.pdf ) for seeking views of public, experts and other stakeholders.

----