Lok Sabha Question No. 2819 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-17
Subject: Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Dibyendu Adhikari

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2819 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 TH  MARCH, 2023

## UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE

## 2819: SHRI DIBYENDU ADHIKARI:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes for extending Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all citizens in the country by 2030;
- (b) if so, details thereof along with the steps taken in this regard;
- (c) if not, the necessary steps taken to provide universal access to quality health-care services to all its citizens; and
- (d) the action taken on the report of the High Level Expert Group (HLEG) of the then planning commission on UHC brought out in October 2010 to activate UHC for all by 2022?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): The National Health Policy formulated in 2017 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 health care orientation in all developmental policies, and universal access to good quality health care services without anyone having to face financial hardship as a consequence. The High-Level Expert Group (HLEG) on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) was constituted by the erstwhile Planning Commission, with the mandate to develop a framework for providing easily accessible and affordable health care to all Indians. The group submitted its report in 2011. This report provides a framework for designing the UHC system.

As far as Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is concerned, the Central Government assists the States/UTs in the direction of UHC. Keeping in view the tenets of the NHP 2017, the Central Government has taken up many schemes and programmes for achieving UHC.

With  a view  to improve  health facilities in the country,  the  Government  has  taken several initiatives/schemes which include, Ayushman Bharat - Health and Wellness Centre (ABHWC), PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), LaQshya (Labour room & Quality Improvement Initiative), various initiatives  under  maternal  and  child  health programme, MusQan - Quality improvement initiative of Child Health services, PM -Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (PM-ABDM), Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)  and  Pradhan  Mantri  National  Dialysis  Programme.  The  Fifteenth  Finance

Commission  has  also  recommended  health  grants  aggregating  to  Rs.  70,051  crore  to  local governments for addressing the gaps in primary health infrastructure in rural and urban areas.

The NHM 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.  Major initiatives for which States are supported include Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK), implementation of NHM Free Drugs and Free Diagnostics Service Initiatives.

Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) was launched on 10 th October,2022 with the aim to provide free tele-mental health services all over the country round the clock, particularly to under-served areas and people remotely located. The programme includes a network of 23 tele-mental health centres of excellence, with NIMHANS as the nodal centre  and  International  Institute  of  Information  Technology-Bangalore  (IIITB)  providing technology support.

The  Pradhan  Mantri  Swasthya  Suraksha  Yojana  (PMSSY)  envisages  creation  of  tertiary healthcare capacity in medical education, research and clinical care, in the underserved areas of the country.  Since the launch of the scheme, setting up of 22 new AIIMS and 75 government medical college up-gradation projects have been approved under this scheme.

Besides, quality generic medicines are made available at affordable prices to all under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) in collaboration with the State Governments. Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) Pharmacy stores have been set up in some hospitals/institutions.

The National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) was launched to improve the quality of care delivered  at  different  level  of  public  health  facilities  (DH,  SDH,  CHC,  U/R-PHC,  HWCs). Efforts  to  enhance  the  accessibility,  acceptability,  and  affordability  of  health  care  for  all  are ensured in all the identified public health facilities under the NQAS. Quality Assurance Program has provision for national and state level quality certification of Health facilities on meeting the predetermined certification criteria. The program is implemented across all States and UTs.