Lok Sabha Question No. 2270 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-23
Subject: Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Ganesan Selvam, C.N. Annadurai, Gautham Sigamani Pon, Dhanush M Kumar

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUE STION NO. 2270 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23 RD SEPTEMBER, 2020

## NON - ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVE R DISEASE

## 2270. SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKA R:

SHRI SELVAM G.:

SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI:

SHRI GAUTHAM SIGAMAN I PON:

SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMA R:

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

- (a)  whether  a  large  number  of  people  are  suffering from  Non- Alcoholic  Fatty  Liver  disease (NAFLD) which isemerging as important cause of liver disease in India;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  many  patients  of  NAFLD  are  not  able  to get  good  treatment  due  to  shortage  of trained doctors;
- (d) if so, the details thereof, State/UT - wise;
- (e) whether the Government has taken/proposed any measures to educate the public on the ill effects of NAFLD, if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) whether the Government proposes to include NAFLD in the National Health Programme and providefinancial  assistance  to  suc h  needy  patients,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  ot measures being taken by the Government for facilitating affordable treatment of NAFLD and other  liver  related  diseases  and  also development  of  diagnostic  and  treatment  technology  for NAFLD ?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a to f ): The  exact  number  of  people  suffering  from  Non - Alcoholic  Fatty  Liver  Diseases (NAFLD) in the country is not known .However, as per Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR )study - India: Health of the Nation's States contribution of cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases to Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) has increased from 0.9% in 199 1.6% in 2016. Risk of developing NAFLD is influen ced by several environmental and metabolic factors including physical inactivity, junk foods & high calorie foods, obesity, type 2 etc.

PublicHealthand Hospitals is a state subject .Central G overnmenthowever supplements efforts  of  States/UTs  t owards  improving  healthcare. Healthcare  services for  various  diseases including liver diseases, are provided through public health facilities at different level. Treatm in Government health facilities is either free or subsidised. Further, under the umb rella scheme of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) financial assistance upto Rs. 15 lakh is provided for treatm Below  Poverty  Line  (BPL)  patients,  suffering  from  life  threatening  diseases,  in  Gover hospitals. This includes financial assistance for ail ments associated with liver diseases, specified in the scheme guideline.

The  Government  is  implementing National  Programme  for  Prevention  and  Control  of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) with focus on strengtheni infrastructur e, human resource development, health promotion, early diag nosis, management and referral. Under the programme, Non - Communicable Disease ( NCD ) Clinics are being set up at District and Community Health Center ( CHC ) levels. Focus of the programme is on commo n NCDs  which  inter  alia  includes  diabetes,  which  is  one  of  the  main  reasons  for  NAF Awareness campaigns on common risk factors for NCDs and for promotion of healthy lifesty are also carried out through print, electronic and social media. Health promot ion and prevention of risk factors for common NCDs in terms of healthy lifestyle and healthy eating is also the major activities of the programme.