Lok Sabha Question No. 1158 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-09
Subject: International Funding to State Health Agencies
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Dean Kuriakose

## GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1158 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09 TH FEBRUARY, 2024

## INTERNATIONALFUNDING TO STATE HEALTH AGENCIES

## 1158. ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE:

Will the Minister of HEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has given permission/ directions to State Health Departments/State Health Agencies allowing to work with international institutions including Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) in Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPMJAY) Mission and Ayushman Digital Health Mission, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the agencies receiving international funding and international funding agencies require HMSC clearances for working with State Health Agencies for PMJAY and ABDM for work related to research and implementation support;
- (c) whether National Health Authority (NHA) has done any monitoring/assessment of international agencies/consulting firms working with State Health Agencies requiring mandatory permissions and approvals, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the NHA has put in place any mechanism for reviewing the research and implementation support by global pharmaceutical companies to State Health Agencies in PMJAY?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (PROF. S. P. SINGH BAGHEL)

(a) to (d): State Health Agencies (SHAs) exercise their own authority to engage with International Institutions and permission from National Health Authority (NHA) is not required to be solicited.

A communication dated 31.05.2023 has been issued in relation to the '100 microsites' project of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) aimed at use of interoperable digital software in small clinics, whereby the States were provided detailed operational guidelines to set up a microsite. In the aforesaid guidelines, States have been given an option to take the services of a development partner on a pro-bono basis for capacity building of the interfacing agency. Based on the interest received in this regard by NHA, an indicative list of development partners, which includes some international organizations like GIZ, PATH, JHPIEGO but not BMGF, was provided to the States.

Health Ministry's Screening Committee (HMSC) operated by Department of Health Research (DHR) / Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) carries out the screening and clearance of proposals involving international collaboration/funding in health research including studies in humans, animals, plants and environment for entities pertaining to non-Governmental Institutions/Organizations.

NHA has not undertaken any such assessment / monitoring of international agencies / consulting firms. Further, no mechanism has been put in place by NHA for reviewing the research and implementation support by any agency to SHAs under Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). SHAs have the flexibility to engage various organizations/agencies for support related to different aspects of scheme implementation in accordance with the extant rules and guidelines prevalent in the State.

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