Lok Sabha Question No. 3098 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-09
Subject: Healthcare Infrastructure in North-Eastern Region
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Baijayant Panda

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3098 TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 TH AUGUST, 2024

## 'HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE IN NORTH-EASTERN REGION'

## 3098 SHRI BAIJAYANT PANDA :

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the healthcare infrastructure development projects in the North-Eastern States; and
- (b) the details of the specific measures taken/proposed to be taken to improve access to quality healthcare services in remote and rural areas of the region?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)

(a) & (b) : Public Health and Hospitals is a State Subject and the responsibility for strengthening of healthcare system lies with respective State/UT Governments. However, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India provides financial and technical support to the States/UTs. Under National Health Mission (NHM), support is provided to States/UTs to strengthen their healthcare systems based on the Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) submitted by the States/UTs within their overall resource envelope.

The primary healthcare system of the country involves a three-tier system with Sub Health Centre (Rural), Primary Health Centre (Urban and Rural) and Community Health Centre (Urban and Rural). As per established norms, in rural areas a Sub Health Centre for a population of 5,000 (in plain) and 3000 (in hilly and tribal area), a Primary Health Centre for a population of 30,000 (in plains) and 20,000 (in hilly and tribal areas) and Community Health Centre for a population of 1,20,000 (in plain) and 80,000 (in hilly and tribal area) is sugessted. Further, District Hospital (DH), Sub-District Hospital (SDH) and First Referral Unit provide secondary care services for rural & urban area.

Further, support for Mobile Medical Unit(MMU) is provided to States/UTs, based on the requirements posed by them in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs), subject to availability of resources. Deployment of MMUs is based on a normal population norm with 1 MMU per 10 lakhs population. However, further relaxation of norms is available on a case to case basis and where patients served though existing MMUs exceed 60 patients per day per MMUin plain area and 30 patients per day per MMU in hilly areas.

Also, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has developed eSanjeevani, a telemedicine application, which provides doctor to doctor (HWC module) and patient to doctor consultation services (OPD module). This application works on a hub and spoke model. At hub level, a specialist doctor provides services to Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs) in rural areas.

Pradhan Mantri - Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) Scheme, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with some Central Sector components, was launched in FY 2021-22 with the aim to strengthen the Public Health Infrastructure to fill critical gaps in health infrastructure, surveillance and health research - spanning both the urban and rural areas. Under CSS component of the scheme, support is provided to North Eastern States (including Assam) for construction of 983 building-less Sub-Health Centre - Ayushman Arogya Mandir (SHC-AAM), 99 Block Public Health Units, 55 Integrated Public Health Labs and 14 Critical Care Blocks.

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