Lok Sabha Question No. 1096 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-18
Subject: Healthcare Facilites in Rural Areas
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Amol Ramsing Kolhe, H. Vasanthakumar, DNV Senthilkumar. S., Krupal Balaji Tumane, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, P.P. Chaudhary, Supriya Sadanand Sule

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1096 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH SEPTEMBER, 2020

## HEALTHCARE FACILITES IN RURAL AREAS

## 1096. DR. AMOL RAMSING KOL HE:

DR.DNV SENTHILKUMAR S.:

SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI T UMANE:

DR.SUBHASH RAMRAO BH AMRE:

SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHA RMA:

SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SUL E:

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

- (a)  whether  healthcare  is  a  major  concern  in  the ruralareas  of  the  country  in  view  of  the Covid- 19 pandemic, if so, the details thereof including the factors which led to this situation and the necessary steps taken in this regard;
- (b)  the  problem  being  faced  by  the  Union Government  in  implementing various  Healthcare schemesin the rural areas;
- (c) whether many of the doctors posted in rural areas are reluctant to work in view of lack of facilities, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the steps taken to address the problems of rural health both at m acro and micro levels and to improve the healthcare sector in rural areas of the country?

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

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) & (b) 'Public Health and Hospitals' being a State subject th e primary responsibility of implementation  of  various  health  care  schemes  including  National  Health  Mission  lies respective States.

The Ministry is continuously monitoring the implementation of their National Programmes giving the required guidance to States/ UTs from time to time.

States/UTs  are  being  provided  required  technical  and  financial  assistance  for  managin COVID - 19 Public Health Challenge from time to time.

All the States/ UTs are provided with necessary f inancial support under India COVID- 19 Emergency  Response  and  Health  System  Preparedness  Package, with  flexibility  to  use  the resources based on their context and priorities . During FY 2020 - 21, funds of Rs 4256.81 crore have been released to the States/ UTs as on 10.09.2020.

(c)& (d)To address the healthcare challenges, particularly in rural areas, the National Health  Mission  (NRHM)  was  launched  in  2005  to  supplement  the  efforts  of  the  State/UT governments to provide accessible, affordable and quality healthcare to all those who access public health facilities. Currently, NRHM is a sub - mission of National Health Mission (NHM).

NHM support is provided to States/ UTs for setting up of new facilities as per norms upgradation of existing facilities for bridging the infrastructure gaps and to fill up the vacancie of Human Resource on contractual basis based on the requirement posed by them.

NHM support is also provided for provision of a host of free services related to maternal health,  child  health,  adolescent  health,  family  planning,  universal  immunisation  progr and for major diseases such as Tuberculosis, vector borne diseases like Malaria, Dengue Kala Azar, Leprosy etc.

Other major initiatives sup ported under NHM include Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) (under which free drugs, free diagnostics, free blood and diet, free transport fro to institution, between facilities in case of a referral and drop back  home is provided), Bal  Swasthya  Karyakram  (RBSK)  (which  provides  newborn  and  child  health  screening  and early interventions services free  of cost for  birth defects, diseases,  deficienc developmental delays to improve the quality of survival), implementation of Free Dru gs and Free Diagnostics Service Initiatives, PM National Dialysis Programme and implementation National Quality Assurance Framework in all public health facilities including in rural ar

Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) & Telemedicine are also being impl emented with NHM support to improve healthcare access particularly in rural areas.

As part of Ayushman Bharat, the Government is supporting the States for transformation Sub  Health  Centres  and  Primary  Health  Centres  into  1.5  lakh  Health  and  Wellness  Cen tres across  the  country  by  December,  2022  for  provision  of  comprehensive  primary  care  th includes preventive healthcare and health promotion at the community level with continuum care approach . Further Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB - PMJAY) provides health coverage up to Rs 5 Lakh per family per year to around 1074 crore poor vulnerable  families  as  per  Socio  Economic  Caste  Census  (SECC). The  States  are  also encouraged to adopt flexible norms for engaging specialists for public health facilities. These include  'contracting  in'  and  'contracting  out'  of  specialist  services  and  engaging  specialists outside the government system for service delivery at public facilities under NHM.

States have also been allowed to offer negotiable s alaries to attract Specialists including flexibility in strategies such as ''You quote, we pay".

Financial support is also provided to States for providing hard area allowance, perfor -based incentives, providing accommodation and transport facilities in rural and remote sponsoring  training  programmes,  etc  to  engaged  human  resources  to  addr ess  the  issue  of shortage of doctors and specialists in the public health facilities.