Question : Shortcomings in Health Infrastructure

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government on account of COVID-19 pandemic has been able to identify specific shortcomings in infrastructure and human resources in public health system of the country;

(b) if so, the details of such shortfalls identified;

(c) the immediate and long term measures the Government proposes to undertake to tide over these shortfalls;

(d) whether the Government has taken measures to enlist second and third year postgraduate students, interns, dental surgeons and AYUSH officers particularly roping young doctors in place of doctors with co-morbid conditions, if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether the Government is planning to recommend cash incentives and commendation certificates, in the Covid-19 scenario, in addition to the facilities already being provided to healthcare workers like insurance, quarantine facilities and to provide them support for their future endeavors and if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) to (c) Government of India took a series of actions to manage COVID-19 Pandemic in a pre-emptive, pro-active, graded manner based on the evolving scenario. This included capacity building for human resource and health infrastructure. Government of India formed 11 empowered groups. Empowered Group II was mandated for infrastructure development, Group III for medical equipment, and Group IV for augmenting human resource and capacity building. For appropriate management of COVID-19 cases, a three tier arrangement of health facilities [(i) COVID Care Center with isolation beds for mild or pre-symptomatic cases; (ii) Dedicated COVID Health Centre (DCHC) with oxygen supported isolation beds for moderate cases and (iii) Dedicated COVID Hospital (DCH) with ICU beds for severe cases] has been implemented. The details of hospital infrastructure for managing COVID cases in the country are given in Annexure. To build the capacities of human resources including the medical manpower who help managing patients in hospitals; as well as non-medical personnel and field workers involved in surveillance, logistics etc., modules have been made available on iGOT - Diksha (online platform) by DOPT (https://igot.gov.in/igot/). The training modules have been translated to regional languages. Close to 29.15 lakh people have registered for various courses. This includes 5,699 doctors, 86,018 Ayush Professionals, 4,102 Nurses, 963 Allied Health Professionals, 5,881 frontline workers, 2,70,736 volunteers and 25,42,892 other participants. About 18.96 lakh course completions have taken place on iGOT – Diksha platform. Training Resources for medical and non-medical personnel have also been made available on the website of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
(d) As intimated by the Board of Governors In Supersession of Medical Council of India, second and third year PG students pursuing MD/MS programmes in a Medical Colleges being duly registered doctors, their services can be used by the Medical College. Interns are only provisionally registered and hence, they can work only under supervision of a faculty member in a medical college hospital. Further, Ministry of Ayush has intimated that a number of AYUSH Personnel, who underwent training in “COVID-19 Preparedness, Response and Containment”, have been deployed in fight against Covid-19 by various State/UTs Governments.

(e) Public health and hospitals being a State subject, it is upto the States/UTs to consider taking appropriate decision in the matter. However, some hospitals like Safdarjung Hospital, have informed that Commendation certificates are issued by them to the health care workers who were involved in Covid-19 patient care management.