Lok Sabha Question No. 5680 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-26
Subject: 108 Ambulance Service
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Pradyut Bordoloi

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5680 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26 TH JULY, 2019

## 108 AMBULANCE SERVIC E

## 5680. SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI:

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

(a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  cancer  and  kidney  related  diseases  have  ra increased in the last five years in the North - Eastern States and if so, the initiatives taken by t Government to tackle thi s serious condition;

(b)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  more  than  50  per  cent  of  ambulances  under  1 Ambulance  Service  have  been  non -functional  due  to  severe  resource  crunch  and  if  so,  the reasons therefor; and

(c) whether the Government has any plan to revitalize the 108 Ambulance Service in near future and if so, the details thereof?

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

(a): As  per  the  Indian  Council  of  Medical  Research 's (ICMR) National  Cancer  Registry Programme, the estimated number of incidence of cancer cases in the country including No Eastern States ,is increasing. The exact number of patients suffering from Kidney aliments is not known.  However,  according  to  ICMR  report  entitled  'India:  Health  of  the  Nation's  States', published in 2017, the contribution of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) to Disability Adju Life yea rs (DALY)increased from 0.8% in 1990 to 1.6% in 2016.

The Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Governments to prevent a control Non Communicable Diseases including cancerand CKD and to provide affordable and accessible care. Some f the steps taken by Central Government are as follows:

- I. The objectives of National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabete Cardiovascular  Diseases  and  Stroke  (NPCDCS)  being  implemented  under  National Health  Mission  (NHM)  for  interventio ns  upto  the  district  level  include  awareness generation for Cancer prevention, screening, early detection and referral to an app level institution for treatment. For Cancer, the focus is on three Cancers namely cervical  and  oral.    Many  of  r isk  factors  of  CKD  are  common  to  other  NCDs.  The interventions for CKD are included under the programme.
- II. A  population  level  initiative  for  prevention,  control  and  screening  for  common -Communicable Diseases (diabetes, hypertension and cancer viz. oral, breast and cervical cancer) has been rolled out in over 215 districts of the country under NHM, as a comprehensive primary healthcare. Screening for common NCDs is also an integral part of  service  delivery  under  Ayushman  Bharat - Health  and  Wellnes s  Centres.  These interventions will also generate awareness as risk factor of NCDs including cance CKD.
- III. The Government of India is also implementing 'Strengthening of Tertiary Care Cancer facilities'  Scheme  under  NPCDCS  to  assist  to  establish/set  up  State  Cancer  Institutes (SCI)  and  Tertiary  Care  Cancer  Centres  (TCCC)  in  different  parts  of  the  coun Oncology is one of the focus areas in case of new AIIMS and many upgraded institutions under  Pradhan  Mantri  Swasthya  Suraksha  Yojna  (PMSSY).  Setting  up  of  National Cancer  Institute  at  Jhajjar  (Haryana)  and  2nd  campus  of  Chittranjan  National  Ca Institute,  Ko lkata  has  also  been  approved.  All  these  will  enhance  the  capacity prevention and treatment of cancer in the country.
- IV. Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme, rolled out in 2016 under National Heal Mission, is under implementation for providing f ree dialysis services to Below Poverty Line (BPL) patients. PMNDP has been implemented in 33 States and UTs, under which facilities for dialysis have been provided in 455 Districts in 778 Centres.

(b)& (c) : Public  health  and  hospitals  being  a  State  subje ct,  the  primary  responsibility  to provide ambulance services lies with the respective State Governments/UTs. However, under National Health Mission (NHM), technical and financial support is provided to States/U strengthen  their  healthcare  systems including  support  for  emergency  medical  transport  of patients under Dial 108, Dial 102/104 ambulance services, and other patient transport ve based on the proposals made by the States/UTs in their Programme Implementation Plans (PI within their o verall resource envelope.