Lok Sabha Question No. 1866 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-12
Subject: Healthcare Scheme for SC/ST Women
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Devendrappa Y

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1866 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 TH February, 2021

## HEALTHCARE SCHEME FO R SC/ST WOMEN

## 1866. SHRI Y. DEVENDRAPPA:

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

- (a) whether the Government has launched any healthcare scheme specially focusing on SC/ST category women and their children in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT - wise; and
- (c) the financial support extended under such scheme, State/UT - wise particularly in Karnataka?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (c)

- 'Public  Health  and  Hospitals'  being  a  State  subject,  the  primary  responsibility  to  provide quality  healthcare  in  public  healthcare  facilities  including  to  SC/ST  category  wome their children lies with the respective State Governments.
- To address the healthcare challenges, particularly in rural areas, the National Rural H 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 publichealth  facilities.  Currently,  NRHM  is  a  sub - mission  of  National  Health  Mission (NHM).
- The  States  are  given  flexibility  to  propose  specific  interventions  for  SC/ST  are beneficiaries  including  for  women  and  their  children  and  are  supported  under  Nati onal Health Mission, based on their proposals.
- NHM support is also provided for provision of a range of free services including for women  and  children,  related  to  maternal  health,  child  health,  adolescent  health, planning,  universal  immuniza tion  programme  and  for  other  major  diseases  such  as Tuberculosis, vector borne diseases like Malaria, Dengue and Kala Azar, Leprosy, etc.
- Other major initiatives supported under NHM include Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) (under free drugs, free diagnostics, free blood and diet, free transport from institution, between facilities in case of a referral and drop back home is pr vided), Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RSSK) (which provides newborn and child health screening and early  interventions  services  free  of  cost  for  primary  defects,  diseases,  deficien developmental delays to improve the quality of survival), Prad han Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) to improve coverage of ANC and improved identification and tracking of high risk pregnancies and Mission Indradhanush (MI) and Intensified Missi Indradhanush (IMI) in improving immunisation coverage.
- Variou s  interventions  that  are  implemented  for  better  healthcare  in  SC/ST  areas beneficiaries are as follows;
- The population norms for setting up Health Facilities in tribal areas are r Against the population norms of 5,000, 30,000, and 1,20,000 for s etting up of Sub Centre, PHC and CHC respectively, in tribal and desert areas its 3,000, 20 and 80,000.
- o Relaxed norms for Mobile Medical Units (MMUs)
- o All  tribal  majority  districts  whose  composite  health  index  is  below  the average have been identi fied as High Priority Districts (HPDs) and these district receive more resources per capita under the National Health Mission (NHM) a compared to the rest of the districts in a State.
- o Implementation of Free Drugs and Free Diagnostics Service Initiatives .
- o SC/ST  households  are  covered  under  Ayushman  Bharat,  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan Arogya Yojana (AB - PMJAY) for health coverage up to Rs 5 Lakh per family per year as per Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC).