Question : Healthcare to Children

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

(a) whether the Government is aware that there are approximately 50 million children with disabilities in India and vast number of these are acquired;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereon;

(c) whether there is a need to spell out the health needs of children in the first three years of their lives;

(d) if so, the action plan prepared by the Government in this regard;

(e) whether the Government is aware that UNICEF report in 2012 found that 7.4 million children mostly from families still remain unprotected despite Government of India''s ambitious universal immunisation programme in operation; and

(f) if so, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)
(a) & (b): As per Census 2011 over 78.65 lakhs children of 0-19 years of age in India are suffering from one or the other kind of disability. The important disabilities are hearing (15.9 lakh), vision (14.1 lakh), movement (10.5 lakh), speech (6.8 lakh) and mental retardation (5.9 lakh) and 6.78 lakh children were found suffering from multiple disabilities.

Under National Health Mission, the Government of India is implementing Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) for screening of all the children from 0-18 years of age including school children for 4 D”s i.e. defects, Deficiencies, Diseases, and Development delays including disability and provide free management. The identification of development delay and their early interventions may prevent large number of disabilities.
Contd……..
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(c) & (d): Early Child hood development referring to first six years of life is crucial for physical and mental development of the child. The National Childhood Care and Education Policy 2013 of Ministry of Women Child Development reiterates commitment of Government of India to promote inclusive, equitable and contextual opportunities for promoting optimal development and active learning capacity of all children below six years of age.

(e) & (f): Yes, the Government is aware of the UNICEF report in 2012 that found 7.4 million children in India still remain unprotected despite Universal Immunization Programme. The reasons for low-rate of immunisation are lack of awareness among parents about the benefits of vaccination, fear of side-effects of vaccination (adverse events following immunization) and non-availability of vaccines or vaccinators at session sites etc.

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