Lok Sabha Question No. 2152 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-29
Subject: Right to Health
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Andimuthu Raja

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2152 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 th  July, 2022

## RIGHT TO HEALTH

## 2152: SHRI A. RAJA:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  contemplating  to  bring  Right  to  health  laws  as  being implemented by certain States in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) if not, whether any mechanism is put in place to provide timely and effective healthcare while ensuring accessibility, affordability and quality of services to the people particularly in rural areas of the country?

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

(a)  to  (c)  For  enabling  environment  for  ensuring  the  'Health  for  all'  the  National  Health Policy 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.

The  Government  has  launched  four  mission  mode  projects,  namely  PM-Ayushman  Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), Ayushman Bharat Health & Wellness Centres (ABHWCs), Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Arogya  Yojana  (PMJAY)  and  Ayushman  Bharat  Digital Mission (ABDM)

PM-ABHIM  was  launched  to  develop  the  capacities  of  primary,  secondary,  and  tertiary healthcare  systems,  strengthen  existing  national  institutions  and  create  new  institutions  to cater  to  detection  and  cure  of  new  and  emerging  diseases.  PM-ABHIM  is  a  Centrally Sponsored  Scheme  with  some  Central  Sector  Components.  The  scheme  has  an  outlay  of Rs. 64,180 crore.

Under  Ayushman  Bharat  Health  &  Wellness  Centres(HWCs),  Comprehensive  Primary healthcare by strengthening Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) are facilitated. The HWCs provide preventive, promotive, rehabilitative and curative care for an  expanded  range  of  services  encompassing  Reproductive  and  child  healthcare  services, Communicable diseases, Non-communicable diseases and other health issues.

PMJAY provides health coverage of Rs.5.00 lakh per family per year to around 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families  for  secondary  and  tertiary  care  as  per  Socio  Economic  Caste Census data 2011. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is aimed at developing the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country.

The Government has taken various steps to further increase the availability of doctors in the country, particularly in underserved regions. The number of UG seats have increased from 51,348 before 2014 to 91927 seats as on date which is an increase of 79%.The numbers of PG seats have increased by 93% from 31,185 seats before 2014 to 60202 seats.

Further, in order to provide medical facilities in the country, the Government has approved, setting  up  of  22  AIIMS  and  75  projects  of  upgradation  of  Government  Medical  Colleges under PMSSY in various phases.

Under  the  scheme  for  'Establishment  of  new  Medical  Colleges  attached  with  existing district/referral  hospitals',  157  new  medical  colleges  have  been  approved  in  the  country  in three phases and 72 are already functional.

Recognizing the need to nurture AYUSH system, the National AYUSH Mission (NAM) is implemented  in  States/UTs  for  development  and  promotion  of  AYUSH  systems.    12,500 Ayush Health and Wellness  Centers  are  targeted  for  operationalization  as  a  component  of NAM through State/UT Governments in a phased manner by the year 2023-24.