Lok Sabha Question No. 4629 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-28
Subject: Healthcare Services in Lakshadweep
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Muhammed Hamdullah Sayeed

## GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4629 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 th MARCH, 2025

## HEALTHCARE SERVICES IN LAKSHADWEEP

## 4629. SHRI MUHAMMED HAMDULLAH SAYEED:

## Will be MINISTER OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that 130 nursing, paramedical and supporting staff in Lakshadweep's health institutions are not getting extension of their contracts and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has assessed the impact thereof on the availability and quality of healthcare services in the Union Territory;

(c) whether any steps have been taken by the Government to prevent disruptions in medical services due to the shortage of trained personnel and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government intends to extend the contracts of these healthcare workers to ensure uninterrupted medical services and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(e) whether the Government has any long-term plans to address the recurring issue of contractual employment in Lakshadweep's healthcare sector and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THEMINISTEROFSTATEINTHEMINISTRYOFHEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE

## (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) to (e) Public Health and Hospitals are state subjects. However, the Government has provided substantial support for strengthening of Healthcare infrastructure in India.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs to strengthen the public healthcare system, based on the proposals received in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) under National Health Mission. Government of India provides approval for the proposal in the form of Record of Proceedings (RoPs) as per norms & available resources. As per the PIP proposal submitted by the UT of Lakshadweep the HRH have been approved in the Record of Proceedings (ROP) and can be accessed at:

## https://nhm.gov.in/index4.php?lang=1&level=0&linkid=76&lid=89

It has been informed by the Union Territory of Lakshadweep that extension of contractual staff is a routine exercise undertaken by them based on the requirements of healthcare services and administrative procedures. ln the instant case of extension of contract of 125 healthcare staff, the matter of extending the contracts of these personnel is under active consideration, and a decision will be taken in due course, keeping in view the healthcare needs of the Union Territory.

The UT Administration has assessed the staffing requirements of all healthcare facilities in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. ln addition to the regular nursing, paramedical, and supporting healthcare staff, Lakshadweep also has personnel recruited under the National Health Mission (NHM) support healthcare services.

ln addition to the regular nursing, paramedical, and supporting healthcare staff, the Administration of Lakshadweep has healthcare personnel including nursing officers, radiographers, paramedical staff, under NHM and state contract across all health facilities in Lakshadweep. This deployment is aimed at ensuring continuity of medical services and mitigating any potential disruptions due to shortages of trained personnel.

Health Dynamics of India 2022-23 report, which is published based on the data reported by States/Union Territories (UTs), the details of health facilities functioning in the country, shortages, available resources including Lakshadweep, as on 31.03.2023 can be assessed at the following link of HDI 2022-23:

https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/Health%20Dynamics%20of%20India%20%28Infrast ructure%20%26%20Human%20Resources%29%202022-23\_RE%20%281%29.pdfFurther,

Further, MoHFW has undertaken a few major schemes for increasing availability of nursing staff are as under:

Development of Nursing services: This scheme which supports upgradation of existing Schools of Nursing (SoN) into Colleges of Nursing (CoN) has got a Budget allocation of Rs 32.74 Cr in FY 2025-26 (BE). Against the Revised Estimate of Rs 22 Cr for FY 2024-25, Rs 19.08 Cr has been released as of now.

Augmenting Nursing Education - Establishment of new Colleges of Nursing co-located with Medical Colleges: This scheme has got a Budget allocation of Rs 200 Cr in FY 2025-26 (BE). Against the Revised Estimate of Rs 200 Cr for FY 2024-25, Rs 14 Cr has been released as of now.

In order to address the shortage of human resources (HR), under NHM, following types of incentives and honorarium are provided for encouraging doctors and paramedics to practice in rural and remote areas of the country under NHM:

- Hard area allowance to specialist doctors for serving in rural and remote areas and for their residential quarters.
- Honorarium to Gynecologists/ Emergency Obstetric Care (EmoC) trained, Pediatricians & Anesthetist/ Life Saving Anaesthesia Skills (LSAS) trained doctors is also provided to increase availability of specialists for conducting Cesarean Sections in rural & remote area.
- Incentives like special incentives for doctors, incentive for ANM for ensuring timely ANC checkup and recording, incentives for conducting Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health activities.
- States are also allowed to offer negotiable salary to attract specialist including flexibility in strategies such as ' You Quote We Pay ' .
- Non-Monetary incentives such as preferential admission in post graduate courses for staff serving in difficult areas and improving accommodation arrangement in rural areas have also been introduced under NHM.
- Multi-skilling of doctors is supported under NHM to overcome the shortage of specialists. Skill upgradation of existing HR is another major strategy under NHM for achieving improvement in health outcomes.

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