Question : NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH MISSION

(a) whether the Government has launched the National Rural Health Mission;

(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the salient features of the Mission;

(c) the estimated number of people likely to be benefited;

(d) whether any target has been fixed for providing minimum health care facilities in rural areas;

(e) if so, the strategy drawn therefor;

(f) whether under the Mission, AYUSH, dispensaries will be opened under the Primary Health Centres; and

(g) if so, the funds allocated for successful completion of the Mission?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. ANBUMANI RAMADOSS)

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

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 542 FOR 4TH MAY, 2005

(a) Yes, Sir.

(b) and (c) The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) has been launched on 12.4.05 by Hon`ble Prime Minister for the entire country with special focus on 18 States having weak demographic indicators and poor health infrastructure. These States are Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal , Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. The Mission aims to undertake architectural correction of the Health System to enable it to effectively handle increased allocations as promised under the National Common Minimum Programme (NCMP). It seeks to address inter-State and intra-district disparity, especially among the 18 high focus States, including unmet needs for public health infrastructure. It aims at effective integration of health concerns with determinants of health, like Sanitation & Hygiene, Nutrition and Safe Drinking Water, through a decentralized District Plan for Health. Above all, it seeks to improve access of rural people, especially poor women and children, to equitable, affordable, accountable and effective primary healthcare.

(d) and (e) Yes, Sir. The Indian Public Health Standards (IIPS) have been formulated for upgrading at least 2000+ Community Health Centres (CHCs) to ensure availability of minimal quality referral hospital care under the Mission. The Mission also aims at provision of 2.5 lakh trained, female Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) at the village level.

Almost 15% CHCs are proposed to be upgraded, and 40% ASHAs selected in 1st year of the Mission. The draft Guidelines for ASHA & IPHS have been drawn up and communicated to States.

(f) Mainstreaming of AYUSH manpower at PHC/CHC level is one of the strategies under the Mission. Provision has also been made for supply of generic drugs, (both AYUSH & Allopathic) for common ailments in the village, Sub-Centre/PHC/CHC level.

(g) A total of Rs. 6731.16 crore have been allocated under the Budget Outlay for the year 2005-06 for NRHM.