Lok Sabha Question No. 1613 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-11
Subject: Medical Debts due to COVID-19
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Sisir Kumar Adhikari

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1613 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 th  FEBRUARY, 2022

## MEDICAL DEBTS DUE TO COVID-19

## 1613.    SHRI SISIR KUMAR ADHIKARI:

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

- a) whether the Government has assessed the magnitude of medical debts accrued to people due to COVID-19;
- b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- c) whether Government intends to implement policy measures to address rising medical debt of persons affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including that of persons who survived;
- d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- e) the details of measures being implemented to reduce out-of-pocket medical expenditure of the citizens?

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

(a) to (e) The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides the technical and financial support to the States/UTs to strengthen their public healthcare system based on the requirements posed by them in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) within their overall resource envelope.

Various initiatives taken up by the Government to provide technical guidance and further strengthen  health  infrastructure,  availability  of  essential  logistics  including  drugs  and  medical oxygen  to  manage  COVID-19.  States  are  supported  in  terms  of  supply  of  logistics  which includes PPE Kits, N-95 masks, oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, ventilators and drugs etc.  States  are  also  supported  in  terms  of  installation  of  Oxygen  concentrator  plants/  Pressure Swing  Absorption  (PSA)  plants  under  Emergency  Response  &  Health  System  Preparedness Package-I (ECRP-I).

Under  ECRP-II,  support  is    provided  to  the  States/UTs  for  provision  of  RT-PCR machine, Biosafety cabinet and Refrigerator centrifuge etc. for Lab strengthening for RT-PCR; Portable EEG, ECG, Ultrasound & X- Ray, Blood Gas Machine, Ventilator Invasive, High Flow Nasal Cannula, Defebrillator/ Cardioverter, Pediatric Laryngoscope (Curved & Straight Blades), Incubator, Multi- para Monitor etc  for oxygen supported beds, ICU beds, HDU beds including for  paediatric  beds  and  Centres  of  Excellence    in  all  the  districts  of  the  country  in  public healthcare facilities including central government hospitals. Further support for Liquid Medical Oxygen  (LMO  tank)  plant  with  Medical  Gas  Pipeline  System  (MGPS)  and  audiovisual teleconsultation equipments is also provided to them.

Funding support is also provided to States/ UTs through National Health Mission, State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF).

For reducing the Out of Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) of the citizens, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare under National Health Mission has taken following initiatives:

-  Under  Free  Drugs  Service  Initiative,  provision  is  made  to  provide  free  essential medicines in public health facilities based on the requirements posted by them in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) within their overall resource envelope.
-  Similarly,  Under  Free  Diagnostic  Services,  support  is  provided  to  States  /  UTs  for provision  of  medical  equipments  to  enables  access  and  use  of  high-quality  diagnostic services including Hub and Spoke Model and Public Private Partnerships.
-  Free provision of various services for maternal health, child health, family planning, the universal  immunization  program,  and  major  diseases  such  astuberculosis,  vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and kalazar, HIV/AIDS, leprosy, and so on has been strengthened. Other major initiatives for which states are supported include Janani Shishu Suraksha  Karyakram  (JSSK),  Rashtriya  Bal  Swasthya  Karyakram  (RBSK),  Rashtriya Kishor  Swasthya  Karyakram  (RKSK),  strengthening  primary  healthcare  and  District Hospitals etc.
-  Other initiative such as Mobile Medical Units (MMUs),  PM  National  Dialysis Programme and Tele-consultation services are also implemented.
-  Under  Ayushman  Bharat-  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Arogya  Yojana  (AB-PMJAY),  health coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year to around 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families in the country as per Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC).

OOPE has reduced from 64.2 percent in 2013-14 to 48.8 percent in 2017-18.