Lok Sabha Question No. 3649 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-21
Subject: Facilities in Government Hospitals in Union Territories
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Patel Umeshbhai Babubhai

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3649 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 st MARCH, 2025

## FACILITIES IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS IN UNION TERRITORIES

## +3649. SHRI PATELUMESHBHAI BABUBHAI:

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

(a) whether the Government is aware that the amount of money being charged for treatment and other facilities from patients in Government hospitals is the same as in private hospitals in the Union territories of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu;

- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether any other places exist where patients can get treatment in case free treatment is not available in Government hospitals; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to ensure free treatment to all citizens?

## ANSWER

## THEMINISTEROFSTATEINTHEMINISTRY OF HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAOJADHAV)

(a) to (d) As per constitutional provisions, ' Health ' is a State subject. It is the responsibility of respective State Government / Union Territory Administration to take cognizance of cases of excessive amounts being charged by private hospitals while giving treatment and take action to prevent and control such practices.

The Government of India, enacted ' The Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 ' (CE Act) and notified ' The Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012 ' thereunder to provide for registration and regulation of Government as well as private clinical establishments belonging to recognized systems of medicine i.e. Allopathy, Yoga, Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Siddha and Unani System of medicines, or any other system of medicine as may be recognised by the Central Government (except those of Armed Forces). The State Governments and Union Territories Administration which have adopted the CE Act are primarily responsible for regulating their hospitals including private hospitals as per provisions of the CE Act and Rules thereunder to ensure the provision of affordable and quality healthcare to patients. As per the CE Act, all the clinical establishments (Government & private) are required to fulfil the conditions of minimum standards of facilities and services and inter-alia, display of rates charged by them at a conspicuous place. The CE Act has empowered a registering authority at the District level under the chairmanship of the District Collector / District Magistrate to take actions including imposing penalties in respect of violation of its provisions.

Further, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri-Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) provides health cover of Rs. 5 lakh per eligible beneficiary family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalizations. The scheme is implemented across the country through a three-tier model National Health Authority (NHA), State Health Agencies (SHAs) and District Implementation Units (DIUs) at National, State and district level respectively. AB-PMJAY is completely funded by the Government and the costs are shared between Central and State Governments. The scheme is completely cashless and paperless. It is an entitlement-based scheme and all the eligible beneficiary families are covered from day one of the implementation of the scheme in the State/UT. The benefits under the scheme are portable across the country. Further, there is no cap on family size, age or gender. The States/UTs have been provided flexibility to implement the scheme in the operational model best suited to the local conditions, including the customization of Health Benefit Packages, operational activities such as hospital empanelment, mode of implementation and IEC strategies etc.

With the objective of attainment of universal access to equitable, affordable and quality health care services, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is implementing various programs and provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs for improvement in health services.

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. The number of approvals granted to each State is referenced in the Record of Proceedings (RoPs) available at the below mentioned link:

## https://nhm.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=1&sublinkid=1377&lid=744

Under NHM, financial and technical support is provided to States/UTs to ensure the availability of quality, essential, and generic medicines across all States/UTs. Over the past five years, the Free Drugs Service Initiative has provided the following benefits across all States/UTs:

i. In 2015, the National Health Mission launched the "Free Drugs Service Initiative" (FDSI) to improve the accessibility of free medicines. The initiative supplements the state ' s efforts to ensure the availability of free medicines to healthcare seekers at District Hospital and belowlevel facilities.

ii.To ensure the provision of free essential medicines NHM support the States/UTs technically and financially for following activities:

- a. Procurement of drugs
- b. Strengthening of Supply Chain System
- c. Logistics of drugs
- d. Drug Warehouse

iii. The government of India, under the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) also has recommended following facility-wise Essential Medicines Lists (EMLs) to the State:

- a. AAM - Sub Centre -106
- b. AAM -PHC/UPHC- 172
- c. Community Health Centre (CHC)- 300
- d. Sub District Hospital (SDH) - 318

e. District Hospital (DH)- 381

Further, the Ministry supports ' Free Diagnostics Service Initiative ' programme under NHM with the aim to provide accessible and affordable pathological and radiological diagnostics services closer to the community which in turn reduces the OOPE. It encompasses free laboratory services, free Tele Radiology Services and free CT Scan services. Under this scheme, there is a provision of 14 tests at Sub Centers, 63 at Primary Health Centers, 97 at Community Health Centres, 111 tests at Sub District Hospitals and 134 tests at District Hospitals.

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