Lok Sabha Question No. 778 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-23
Subject: Healthcare Facilities in Economically Backward Areas
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Pushpendra Singh Chandel, Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 778 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23 RD JULY, 2021

## HEALTHCARE FACILITIE S IN ECONOMICALLY BA CKWARD AREAS

## 778. SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPEND RA SINGH CHANDEL: SHRIMATI MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  cognizance of  non - availability  of  adequate  healthcare services in the economically backward areas in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has made any provisions for the doctors passing out from various medicalinstitutes to mandatorily serve in these backward areas, if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the details of the steps being taken by the Government to ensure ease of access to healthcare services for all the citizens of the country, particularly the poor in the vicinity of their homes?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMIL Y WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR )

(a)  to  (c):    'Public  Health  &  Hospitals'  being  a  State  subject,  the  primary  responsibility  for ensuring  healthcare  services  including  establishing  public  health  care  facilities economically backwards areas and making provisions for mandatory posting of doctors in the backward areas, lies with respective State Governments.

To  address  the  healthcare  challenges,  particularly  in  rural  areas,  the  Nationa 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 public health facilities. Currently, NRHM is a sub - mission of National Health Mission (NHM).

NHM support is provided to Stat es/ UTs for setting up of new facilities as per norms an upgradation of existing facilities for bridging the infrastructure gaps based on the re posed by them.

NHM support is also provided for provision of a host of free services related to mat ernal 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  supported  under NHM  include  Janani  Shishu  Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) (under which free drugs, free diagnostics, free blood and diet, free tra from  home  to  institution,  between  facilities  in  case  of  a  referral  and  drop  back  h provided),  Rashtriya  Bal  Swasthya  Ka ryakram  (RBSK)  (which  provides  newborn  and  child health  screening  and  early  interventions  services  free  of  cost  for  birth  defects, deficiencies and developmental delays to improve the quality of survival), implementati Free  Drugs  and  Free  Di agnostics  Service  Initiatives,  PM  National  Dialysis  Programme  and implementation  of  National  Quality  Assurance  Framework  in  all  public  health  facili including in rural areas.

Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) , a safe motherhood intervention with the object ive to reduce  maternal  and  neonatal  mortality  by  promoting  institutional  delivery  among  preg women expecially with weak socio - economic status, i.e. women from SC/ST/BPL households and presently, under implementation in all States/UTs with a special foc us on Low Performing States and provides Cash incentives for women with the special focus for BPL/SC/ST women institutional delivery (in government/ private accredited health facilities) and for BP who prefer for home delivery.

Mobile Medical Un its (MMUs) & Telemedicine are also being implemented with NHM support to improve healthcare access particularly in rural areas.

As part of Ayushman Bharat, the Government is supporting the States for transformati of Sub Health Centres and Primary Health Centres into 1.5 lakh Health and Wellness Centr across the country by December, 2022 for provision of Comprehensive Primary Health Car (CPHC) that includes preventive healthcare and health promotion at the community level with continuum of care approach . Under this programme, CPHC services of an expanded range of services , that are universal and free to users, with a focus on wellness, are provided, clos the community . Further Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB - PMJAY) provides health coverage up to Rs 5 Lakh per family per year to around 10 . 74 crore poor and vulnerable families as per Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC).

Financial  support  is  also  provided  to  States  for  providing  hard  area  allow nce, performance - based  incentives,  providing  accommodation  and  transport  facilities  in  rural remote areas, sponsoring training programmes, etc to engaged human resources to address issue of shortage of doctors and specialists in the public health f acilities.