Question : Waiting Time for Surgeries in Government Hospitals

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

(a) the normative and actual time taken for performing various surgeries in Government hospitals in the recent past along with the waiting period for the same;

(b) whether a large number of surgeries are yet to be conducted in various Central Government Hospitals including All India Institute of Medical Sciences and Ram Manohar Lohia and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(c) the corrective steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard, State/UT-wise;

(d) whether the Government proposes to provide financial assistance for surgeries to patients belonging to poor and marginalized segment of the society; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.


STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 325* FOR 24TH MARCH, 2017


(a) and (b): There is no specific norm for performing surgeries. However, in emergency cases, such surgeries are performed immediately on priority in the Central Government Hospitals/Institutes. In respect of routine surgeries, there is a waiting period for certain procedures due to the ever increasing pressure on infrastructure and available manpower in these hospitals, which varies from Department to Department in these Hospitals.
It is a fact that the number of patients visiting Central Government Hospitals and Institutions including All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, and Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) and associated Hospitals for surgery and treatment is much larger as compared to their handling capacity in terms of number of beds, manpower and other resources. Despite availability of huge infrastructure and other services in these Hospitals, there is a waiting period for certain procedures due to the ever increasing pressure on infrastructure and available manpower in these hospitals, which varies from Department to Department in these Hospitals. As such, various Clinical Departments make their own waiting lists of patients in need of admission taking into consideration the condition of patients, urgency of treatment required and bed availability on a particular day.
(c): Expansion of existing facilities and creation of new facility in a Hospital is an on-going process and is undertaken as per the requirement and availability of resources. Projects for augmentation of capacity have also been approved in the three Central Government hospitals namely Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. RML Hospital and LHMC and associated Hospitals.


In addition, the Government is setting up new AIIMS in various States to provide tertiary care to the general public in the respective States/region. Besides this, Government have also taken up up-gradation of existing Government medical college institutions in the first phase under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), which include improving health infrastructure through construction of Super Speciality Blocks/Trauma centres, etc. and procurement of medical equipment for existing as well as new facilities.
These initiatives will progressively bring down the patient load on these Hospitals in the coming years leading to reduction of waiting period substantially as the inflow of the patients from distant areas to these hospitals will be reduced.
(d) and (e): Health is a State subject and it is the responsibility of the State Government to make efforts to provide adequate health care facilities to people. However, the patients belonging to below poverty line are provided medical treatment free of cost in the Hospitals/Institutes like Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. RML Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College & Associated Hospitals, NIMHANS, Bengaluru, AIIMS, Rishikesh,AIIMS, Raipur, AIIMS, Bhopal, AIIMS, Bhubaneshwar, etc. In addition, poor patients are also provided financial assistance from National Illness Assistance, Prime Minister’s Relief Funds, Relief funds of various Ministries, etc.
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