Lok Sabha Question No. 1112 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-22
Subject: National Health Policy 2017
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Arvind Kumar Sharma

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1112 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22 nd  JULY, 2022

## NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY 2017

## 1112. DR. ARVIND KUMAR SHARMA:

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

- (a) whether any progress has been made to realise the aims and objectives of National Health Policy  2017  and  to  ensure  quality  of  medicines,  develop  infrastructure  and foster research and   to  link  AYUSH  systems  to  the  Accredited  Social  Health  Activists (ASHA) network;
- (b)  if so, the details thereof; and
- (c)  if not, the reasons therefor?

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

- (a) to (c): The National Health Policy formulated in 2017 envisages to provide universal access to good quality healthcare services through increasing access, increasing affordability by lowering the cost of healthcare delivery and equity. The policy envisages as its goal the attainment of the highest possible level of health and well-being for all at all ages,  through  a  preventive  and  promotive  healthcare  orientation  in  all  developmental policies, and universal access to good quality healthcare services without anyone having to face financial hardship as a consequence. The Policy is centered on the key principles of Equity; Affordability; Universality; Patient Centeredness & Quality of care; accountability; Inclusive partnerships; Pluralism and decentralization.

The Central Govt. has taken several initiatives for supplementing the efforts of the State for providing quality and affordable healthcare services to the people.

Under National Health Mission, the Government has taken many steps towards universal health coverage by supporting the State Government in providing accessible & affordable healthcare to people. It encompasses the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the National  Urban  Health  Mission  (NUHM)  as  its  two  Sub-Missions.  Under  the  National Health  Mission,  financial  and  technical  support  is  provided  to  States/UTs  to  provide accessible,  affordable  and  quality  healthcare,  especially  to  the  poor  and  vulnerable sections  of  the  population,  in  both  urban  and  rural  areas.  The  National  Health  Mission provides support for improvement in health infrastructure, availability of adequate human resources to man health facilities, to improve availability and accessibility to quality health care especially for the underserved and marginalized groups in rural areas.

Mainstreaming of AYUSH is one of the core strategies in National Health Mission which seeks to provide accessible, affordable and quality health care to the population.

Under National Health Mission (NHM), engagement of Ayurveda Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani,  Siddha  and  Homoeopathy  (AYUSH)  doctors/  paramedics  is  supported,  provided they  are  co-located  with  existing  District  Hospitals  (DHs),  Community  Health  Centres (CHCs)  and  Primary  Health  Centres  (PHCs)  with  priority  given  to  remote  PHCs  and CHCs.

Mainstreaming of AYUSH has been taken up in 14,790 AYUSH facilities co-located at PHCs,  CHCs  and  Districts  Hospitals.  There  are  27,910  AYUSH  doctors  and  4,208 AYUSH Paramedics are in-position in various co-located health facilities

As part of Ayushman Bharat, the Government  supports the States for transformation of Sub Health Centres and Primary Health Centres into 1.5 lakh Health and Wellness Centres across  the  country  by  December,  2022  for  provision  of  Comprehensive  Primary  Health Care (CPHC) that includes preventive healthcare and health promotion at the community level  with  continuum  of  care  approach  in  order  to  realize  the  goal  of  Universal  Health coverage.  Amongst  these,  12,500  facilities  are  AYUSH-  SHC  or  AYUSH  dispensaries. AYUSH medicine is also a part of ASHA drug kit for management of primary conditions at the community level (like Punarvadu Mandur).