Question : New Initiatives in Health Sector

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

(a) whether the Government has devised new initiatives and policies for the overall development of the health sector in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the total amount spent on various schemes/programmes during the last two years and the current year, State-wise; and

(c) whether the Government has chalked out any comprehensive health plan and new strategy to involve all the stakeholders including the Non-Governmental Organisations and Non Profit Organisations in the implementation of health programmes and schemes in the country, particularly in rural areas and if so, the details thereof?

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

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



STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 421* FOR 31ST MARCH, 2017

(a) The Government has formulated the National Health Policy, 2017, which aims at attainment of the highest possible level of good health and well-being, through a preventive and promotive health care orientation in all developmental policies, and universal access to good quality health care services without anyone having to face financial hardship as a consequence. The National Health Policy, 2017 is available at http://mohfw.nic.in/showfile.php?lid=4275. The Government has also devised various new initiatives on health sector which is provided in Annexure-I.

(b) A statement showing Scheme/programme-wise releases for last two years and current year is provided at Annexure-I to V.

(c) The National Health Policy 2017 envisages partnership with multi-stakeholders including partnership with non-health Ministries and academic institutions, not for profit agencies and health care industry. Policy interalia supports enabling engagements with NGOs to serve as support and training institutions for ASHAs and to serve as learning laboratories on future roles of community health workers. The Policy also envisages active involvement of local self-government in areas of capacity building and provides for community based monitoring of health outputs. The policy also envisages strategic purchase of secondary and tertiary care services as a short term measure from public sector hospitals followed by not-for profit private sector and then commercial private sector in underserved areas, based on availability of services of acceptable and defined quality criteria. The policy also suggests exploring collaboration for primary care services with ‘not- for -profit’ organizations having a track record of public services where critical gaps exist. The policy has advocated for building synergy with “not for profit” organisations and private sector subject to availability of timely quality services as per predefined norms for critical gap filling.