To address the healthcare challenges, particularly in rural areas, the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) was launched in 2005 to supplement the efforts of the State/UT governments to provide accessible, affordable and quality healthcare to all those who access public health facilities. Currently, NRHM is a sub-mission of National Health Mission (NHM).
This support under NHM includes provision of a host of free services related to maternal health, child health, adolescent health, family planning, universal immunisation programme, and for major diseases such as Tuberculosis, HIV/ AIDS, vector borne diseases like Malaria, Dengue and Kala Azar, Leprosy etc.
Other major initiatives include JananiShishuSurakshaKaryakram (JSSK) (under which free drugs, free diagnostics, free blood and diet, free transport from home to institution, between facilities in case of a referral and drop back home is provided), Rashtriya Bal SwasthyaKaryakram (RBSK) (which provides newborn and child health screening and early interventions services free of cost for birth defects, diseases, deficiencies and developmental delays to improve the quality of survival), implementation of Free Drugs and Free Diagnostics Service Initiatives, PM National Dialysis Programme and implementation of National Quality Assurance Framework.
Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) & Telemedicine are also being implemented with NHM support to improve healthcare access particularly in rural areas.
As part of Ayushman Bharat, the Government is supporting the States for strengthening Sub Centres and Primary Health Centres as Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) for provision of comprehensive primary health care that includes preventive healthcare and health promotionat the community level with continuum of care approach.
Further, Ayushman Bharat, PradhanMantri Jan ArogyaYojana (AB-PMJAY) provides health coverage up to Rs. 5.00 lakh per family per year to around 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families as per Socio Economic Caste Census (SECC). In so far as implementation of PMJAY is concerned, Public hospitals are reimbursed for the healthcare services at par with the private hospitals under the scheme.
As public health is a State subject, the responsibility of ensuring availability of required medical equipment in the hospitals lie with the respective State Governments.
In the Budget speech of FY 21-22, ‘Prime Minister AtmanirbharSwasth Bharat Yojana’ (PM-ASBY) scheme has been announced for an amount of Rs. 64180 Crores. The proposed scheme has a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) component of establishing 50 or 100 bedded critical care blocks for the treatment of infectious diseases in 602 districts of the country and also has a Central Sector component of setting up 150 bedded critical care blocks in 12 Central Institutions.
No such target has been set for COVID-19 vaccination, However, the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) has prioritized Health Care Workers, Front Line Workers, persons aged 60 years and above, and those aged between 45 to 59 years with identified comorbidities for COVID-19 vaccination.
Presently, vaccination of Health Care Workers, Front Line Workers, persons aged 60 years and above, and those aged between 45 to 59 years with identified comorbidities is going on at government and private COVID19 Vaccination Centres.
The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Sh. Ashwini Kumar Choubey stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha here today.
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