Lok Sabha Question No. 400 (STARRED), answered on 2019-07-19
Subject: Medicines for Seasonal Diseases
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Mahabali Singh

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 400 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19 TH JULY , 2019 MEDICINES FOR SEASON AL DISEASES

## *400. SHRI MAHABALI SINGH:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken cognizance that the necessary faciliti diagnosis  and  medicines  for  treatment  are  not  adequately  available  durin outbreak of seasonal disea se ;
- (b) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether such kind of incidents are often seen in the rural and semi - urban areas of Northern India and if so, the reasons therefor; and
- (d)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  make  available  adequate  stock necessary drugs for the treatment of seasonal diseases in all the health cent hospitals of the country so that no death takes place due to the non - availability of drugs?

## AN SWER THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a) to ( d):  A statement is laid on the Table of the House

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 400* FOR 19 TH JULY , 2019

(a) & (b) Diseases such as ac ute diarrheal diseases, chickenpox, dengue, diphtheria malaria, measles, mumps, hepatitis A & E, rubella, chikungunya, seasonal influ enteric fever, etc. have exhibited higher incidence with seasonal variations.

Health being a state subject, state governments are expected to take prompt me for  prevention  and  containment  of  outbreaks  due  to  seasonal  diseases  inclu necessary facilities for diagnosis and medicines for treatment of the patients.

The  incidence  of  these  diseases  is  monitored  through  Integrated  Dise Surveillance  Programme  &  National  Vector  Borne  Disease  Control  Programme  at national level as per the data reported by states. Depending on seasonality, technical support , treatment protocols and advisories are also provided to the sta Government of India for effective management of diseases.

The  Government  of  India  further  provides  financial  and  technical  supp under the National Health Mission and various other tertiary sector schemes to the States / UTs for strengthening their healthcare delivery system including supp provision of essential drugs free of cost to those who access public health fac

(c) :  As  and  when  any  disease  outbreak  occurs,  the  same  is  reported  from respective  districts  on  the  Integrated  Disease  Surveillance  Programme  (I platform.  The outbreaks reports submitted by States to Central Surveillance IDSP do not have any rural, semi -urban or urban breakup.

(d) : Under Free Drugs Service Initiative (FDSI) of National Health Mission, fina support is provided to States / UTs for provision of free essential medicines health  facilities  based  on  the  requirements posted  by  them  in  their  Programme Implementation  Plans  (PIPs)  within  their  overall  resource  envelope. All  the States/UTs have reported that they have notified free drug policy in their re States/UTs.

The number of essential medicines to be provide d free of cost is decided by the States and varies from State to State. However, the Ministry has provided illu list  of  essential  medicines  that  should  be  provided  at  Sub  Centres,  Primary Centres,  Community Health  Centres  and District Hospit als.  The  list  is  available  in public domain at h tp://nhsrcindia.org/sites/default/files/Facility%20wise%20essen %20Medicine%2006 %20July-16.pdf .