Lok Sabha Question No. 3010 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-06
Subject: Asthma Patients
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Ramesh Bidhuri

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3010 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6 th  AUGUST, 2021

## ASTHMA PATIENTS

## 3010. SHRI. RAMESH BIDHURI :

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

- (a) whether the Government has noted that there is an alarming increase in number of patients suffering from asthma and other acute respiratory diseases in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to provide adequate medical treatment to such patients and also generate public awareness in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

(a) and (b) A study 'The burden of chronic respiratory diseases and their heterogeneity across the states of India: The Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2016' was published in Lancet 2018 by ICMR. As per the study, the prevalence of Asthma reduced from 3468 per 100000 in 1990 to 3336 per 100000 in 2016 showing a decline of 3.8 percent over a period of 26 years.

- (c)  Health is  a  state  subject.  The  Department  of  Health  &  Family Welfare,  however, provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs under the National Programme for Prevention and  Control  of  Cancer,  Diabetes,  Cardiovascular  Diseases  and  Stroke  (NPCDCS),  as  part  of National Health Mission (NHM), based on the proposals received in Program Implementation Plans (PIPs) from the States/UTs and subject to the resource envelope. The programme focusses on  strengthening  infrastructure,  human  resource  development,  health  promotion  &  awareness

generation for prevention, early diagnosis, management and referral to an appropriate level of healthcare  facility  for  treatment  of  the  given  Non-Communicable  Diseases  including  Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) and Asthma.

Under NPCDCS, 640 NCD Clinics at District level and 5148 NCD Clinics at Community Health Centre  level  have  been  set  up  to  ensure  the  treatment  of  common  NCDs  including  Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) and Asthma.

Patients  with  Acute  Respiratory  Infections  (ARI),  Chronic  Obstructive  Pulmonary  Diseases (COPD) and Asthma are diagnosed and treated at various tertiary health care facilities such as Medical  Colleges,  Central  Institutes  like  AIIMS,  etc.  The  treatment  in  Government  health facilities is either free, or highly subsidized for the poor and needy. The treatment for in-patient care is also available under Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) for 10.74 crore families eligible under AB-PMJAY as per Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC) database.

Under  Free  Drugs  Service  Initiative  of  NHM,  financial  support  is  provided  to  States/UTs  for provision  of  free  essential  medicines.  Furthermore,  quality  generic  medicines  are  being  made available at affordable prices to  all, under Pradhan Mantri  Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana in collaboration with the State Governments.

Preventive  aspect  of  NCDs  including  Chronic  Obstructive  Pulmonary  Diseases  (COPD)  and Asthma  is  being  strengthened  under  Comprehensive  Primary  Health  Care  under  Ayushman Bharat  -  Health  and  Wellness  Centers,  by  promotion  of  wellness  activities  and  targeted communication  at  the  community  level.  NPCDCS  gives  financial  support  under  NHM  for awareness generation (IEC) activities to be undertaken by the States/UTs as per their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs), subject to resource envelope.

Further, in order to accelerate actions for reducing deaths due to Childhood Pneumonia (ARI), an initiative named  'Social  Awareness and Actions to Neutralize Pneumonia  Successfully

(SAANS)'  has  been  launched  in  2019  under  Reproductive,  Maternal,  Newborn,  Child  and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A) program under the aegis of NHM.

National  Centre  for  Disease  Control  (NCDC)  has  also  prepared  and  shared  Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials on Air Pollution as a risk factor for ARI, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) and Asthma, and shared it with all the States/UTs.