(a) whether there is a huge demand for dialysis facilities and that the procedures
remained expensive and inaccessible;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government is considering to make available dialysis
facilities in all Government hospitals across the country; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD)
(a) & (b): In so far as three Central Government Hospitals in Delhi are concerned,
the dialysis facilities are available in Safdarjung Hospital and Dr. RML Hospital.
The number of patients requiring dialysis has been increasing in these two hospitals.
It is estimated that average cost of dialysis is about Rs. 2000.The patients belonging
to Below Poverty Line (BPL) category are provided this facility free of charges and
for other patients the cost is by and large subsidized in the above referred Central
Government Hospitals in Delhi.
(c) & (d): `Health` being a state subject, it is the responsibility of the State
Government to make necessary health care facilities available to the people in
accordance with their requirement and available resources.
The Government of India has taken following steps in this direction:
(i) The Indian Public Health Standards guidelines have been prepared for
providing dialysis sendees along with equipment and beds for dialysis
at District Hospitals.
(ii) Stand Alone Dialysis Unit outside hospital environment has been
established under CGHS Delhi on a pilot basis.
(iii) In collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Open University
(IGNOU),the Physician Training program in Dialysis has been started to
improve the availability of trained physicians for dialysis.