Lok Sabha Question No. 351 (STARRED), answered on 2021-03-19
Subject: CSE Report about COVID-19 Effect on Children
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, Dinesh Chandra Yadav

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 351 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19 TH MARCH , 2021 CSE REPORT ABOUT COV ID-19 EFFECT ON CHILDRE N

## *351. SHRI RAJIV RAN JAN SINGH ALIAS LALA N SINGH: SHRI DINESH CHANDRA YADAV:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  report  of  the  Centre  for  Sci Environment (CSE) regarding the COVID-19 effect on children aged between 0 - 14 years in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has formulated any action plan to control and m the adverse effects of COVID - 19 on such children and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has made any assessment of adverse effects of CO -19 on mental health of children and has provided psychological support throu health care professionals during COVID - 19  pandemic  and if so, the details there and
- (e) the number of children benefitted from such counselling services?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF H EALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a)to ( e)A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEME NT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 351* FOR 1 9 TH MARCH , 2021

(a)  &  (b) Centre  for  Science  and  Environment  (CSE)  is  a  Non - Governmental Organization working in the area of environmental issues. Ministry of He Family Welfare is not aware of any report prepared by CSE regarding ef COVID - 19 on children aged between 0- 14 years in the country.

(c)        Analysis  of  those  affected  by  COVID - 19  in  India,  age - wise , shows  that children  in  the  age  group  of  0 - 14  years  are  less  affected.  Further,  the  infe among  children  are  mild  and  most  of  these  children  infected  with  COV ID- 19 remain asymptomatic. Hence no specific action plan has been formulated in th current  response  phase  to  minimize  the  adverse  effects  of  COVID - 19  on  such children .  Very  rarely  a  severe  illness,  in  form  of  Multi - System  Inflammatory Syndrome,  has  been  i dentified.  This  happens  usually  after  3  to  6  weeks COVID - 19 infection. Department of Pediatrics, AIIMS, is documenting long effect of COVID - 19 infection in children.

For appropriate management of COVID - 19 cases, a three - tier arrangement  of health  facilities  [(i)  COVID  Care  Center  with  isolation  be mild or pre - symptomatic cases; (ii) Dedicated COVID Health Centre (DCHC) wit oxygen  supported  isolation  beds  for  moderate  cases  and  (iii)  Dedicated Hospital (DCH) with ICU beds for sev ere cases] has been implemented. Guidelines on  Clinical  management  of  COVID - 19  have  been  issued.    This  guideline  als provides for management of complications.

(d)  &  (e) The  Ministry  of Education ,  Government  of  India , has  initiated  a programme  called  'MANODARPAN'  covering  a  wide  range  of  activities  to provide psychosocial support to students, teachers and families for Ment and Emotional Wellbeing during the COVID outbreak and beyond.

A National Toll - free helpline 8448440632 to provide tele - counselling for students,  parents  and  teachers  to  help  cope  with  the  situation.  The operating  procedure for  health  and  safety      protocols  for  reopening  of  s issued  by  Ministry  of  Educa tion  has  incorporated  guidelines  for  promoti emotional well - being of students and teachers. A webpage https://mhrd.gov.in/covid - 19 on  the  website  of  Ministry  of  Education  contai advisories and motivational posters etc.

M inistry of Health and Family Welfare has set up a 24/7 helpline was set through NIMHANS, Bangalore, on 29.03.2020 to provide psychosocial suppo by  mental  health  professionals,  to  the  entire  affected  population,  di different target groups viz children, adult, elderly, women and healthcare workers.

Later other two Central Mental Health Institutions namely LGB Regi Institute  of  Mental  Health,  Tezpur  and  Central  Institute  of  Psychiatry , along  with  various  States/UTs  were  also  on - boarded  to  extend  the  services  in regional/ local languages also. Guidelines/ advisories on management of health issues, catering to different segments of the society, were issued.

All the guidelines, adv isories and advocacy material can be accessed Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  website  under  'Behavioural  Health -Psychosocial  helpline'  ( https://www.mohfw.gov.in/ ).  Various  media  platforms were used for c reative and audio - visual materials on managing stress and anxiet and promoting an environment of support and care for all.

Further,  to  address  the  burden  of  mental  disorders,  the  Governm India  is  implementing  the  National  Mental  Health  Prog ramme  (NMHP).  The Government is supporting implementation of the District Mental H Programme  (DMHP)  under  NMHP  in  692  districts  of  the  country.  To  genera awareness  among  masses  about  mental  illnesses,  Information,  Education Communication (IEC) a ctivities are an integral part of the NMHP. At the Di level, funds up to Rs. 4 lakh per annum are provided to each District DMHP for awareness generation activities in the community, schools, workp with community involvement.

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