Question : Water Borne Diseases

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

(a) whether his Ministry has assessed the impact of Swachh Bharat Mission on water and vector borne diseases like Malaria, Diarrhoea etc.;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the percentage decrease in cases of these diseases after coverage of this mission in rural and urban areas; and

(d) the steps taken or being taken by the Government to uproot these diseases from the country in the wake of health consciousness of the Government on the lines of polio?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) to (d): The Government had launched the Swachh Bharat Mission with effect from 2nd October, 2014 with the aim to achieve universal sanitation coverage by 2nd October, 2019 by providing access to toilet facilities to all households in the country. The focus of the scheme is on behavior change and usage of toilets. As per World Health Organisation (WHO) Study released in 2018, it is estimated that, between 2014 and October, 2019, Swachh Bharat Mission will result in averting more than 3,00,000 diarrhoea and protein-energy malnutrition related deaths.
As per constitutional provisions, Health is a state subject and primary responsibility to control any outbreak lies with the respective State Government. However, Government of India provides technical and financial support and training to health functionaries of State Government for more effective containment and management of any disease outbreak. The Government of India also provides regular financial and technical support to the State Governments under National Health Mission (NHM) and various other Tertiary sector schemes for strengthening of healthcare infrastructure in the States/UTs.
Government of India is also implementing Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) under NHM in all States/UTs with the objective to detect and respond to disease outbreaks due to epidemic prone diseases / communicable diseases causing outbreaks. To prevent the spread of such outbreaks, States/UTs are provided with additional manpower, training of identified Rapid Response Team (RRT) members for outbreak investigations and strengthening of laboratories for detection of epidemic prone diseases.
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