Lok Sabha Question No. 3383 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-13
Subject: Abortion Services
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Mohammad Jawed

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3383 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13 TH MARCH, 2020

## ABORTION SERVICES

## 3383. DR. MOHAMMAD JAWED:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps to expand access to abortion services through functioning of public health services, adequate qualitative and unbiased services and increasing the number of trained service providers;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  11.5  million (73%)  were  medication  abortions conducted outside of health facilities in 2015, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d)  the steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure quality  care  in  abortion  services  including providing accurate information on the abortion pills and provisions fo  foll w up care?

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

- (a) & (b): Provision  of  Comprehensive  Abortion  Care  (CAC)  services  is  an  important component of RMNCAH+N strategy of National Health Mission (NHM).

NHM provides support to the states and UTs for various activities to promote safe a bortion:

- Provision of comprehensive safe abortion services at public health facilities like Colleges/DHs/SDHs/CHCs/24*7 PHCs/FRUs, etc.) where trained Medical Practitioners are posted. As per the records received from the States & UTs, there are total 10,782 public health facilities providing 1st trimester services (upto 12 weeks) and 4,21 health facilities providing both 1st and 2nd trimester (upto 20 weeks) services. 11,394 Medical Officers have been trained in CAC services
- Provision of funds to States &UTs for procurement of equipment and drugs includi pregnancy  detection  kits  (for  early  detection  of  pregnancy)  and  training  of providers.
- Capacity  Building  of  ANMs,  ASHAs  to  provide  confidential  counseling  for  safe abort ion, post - abortion care and post -abortion contraception.
- Provision of funds for Information Education & Communication (IEC) material viz. CA posters, Flipcharts, Leaflets, Asha/ANM booklets etc.
- Comprehensive Abortion Care Training and Service Delivery Gu d line (2010) has been revised in 2018 and issued to all the States& UTs in the country to facilitate quali
- Guidance Handbook for ASHA and community health workers on Compressive Abortion Care (CAC) has been developed and disseminated to the S tates/ UTs.

(c): The data on Medical Abortions with Medical Methods of Abortion (MMA) drugs outside of health facilities is not available with the Ministry. However, as per NFHS - 4 (2015 - 16), 27.4% abortions have been conducted outside of public and privat e health facilities

(d): Support  is  being  provided  to  the  States  for  Capacity  Building  of  Medical  office provision of Comprehensive Abortion Care including use of MMA drugs.

MMA  guidelines  are  available  online  for  perusal  of  service  providers  for  ac curate information on Abortion Pills and for provision of follow up.