Life expectancy increases by 5 years in the past decade
Government increases health sector allocation by 335% to Rs 3
lakh crore in 12th Plan
The health indicators across the country have shown significant
improvements. The life expectancy has increased by 5 years in the past decade.
What used to be 62.3 years for male and 63.9 years for female in 2001-2005 is
now 67.3 years for male and69.6 years for female in 2011-2015. There has been
reduction in new HIV cases by as much as 57%. Infant Mortality Rate has come
down to 42 in 2012 from 58 per 1000 live births in the year 2005. Maternal
Mortality Ratio has declined from 301 per 100,000 live births in 2001-03 to 212
in 2007-09. The pace of decline has shown an increasing trend from 4.1% annual
rate of decline during 2001-03 to 5.5% in 2004-06 and further to 5.8% in 2007-09.
Total Fertility Rate has come down to 2.4 in 2011 from 2.9 in 2005. Adding a
new feather in the cap is declaration of India as Polio Free Nation. On the
13th January, 2014, India made history by completing three years without a
single case of wild polio. This feat was unimaginable till 2009, when India
accounted for more than half of the global polio burden.
The appreciable developments in the healthcare sector are
attributable to the strengthening of the health infrastructure in the country,
and a focused approach by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The
Government has increased budget outlay by 335% to Rs 3 lakh crore in 12th Plan
for healthcare to achieve universal and inclusive healthcare for all citizens.
Moreover, under the National Health Mission (NHM) there are two subcomponents
namely National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and National Urban Health Mission
(NUHM) which aim to provide accessible, affordable and quality health care to
the rural as well as urban population.
The National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) as a sub-mission of
National Health Mission (NHM) was approved by the Cabinet on 1st May, 2013. It
envisages to meet health care needs of the urban population with the focus on
urban poor, by making available to them essential primary health care services
and reducing their out of pocket expenses for treatment. In the 12th Plan an
allocation of Rs. 15,143 crores has been made for National Urban Health
Mission.
NRHM was launched by the Government over eight years ago and
substantial progress has been achieved under it. More than Rs. 1, 11, 000
crores has been released by the Health Ministry to 35 State Governments and
UTs. Nearly 51,000 new health infrastructures have been created, including new
construction and up-gradation works to improve health facilities. More than
70,000 beds have been added in Government health institutions for provision of
essential and emergency services across the country. Addition of nearly 1.6
lakh human resources that include specialists, doctors, nurses, ANMs and
para-medics and nearly 9 lakh community health workers called ASHAs have been
appointed in villages to facilitate interface between the communities and
health system.
Under NRHM National Ambulance Services, support free ambulance
services to provide patients transport in every nook and corner of the country
connected with a toll free number to a Call Centre. Over 15,000 basic and
emergency patient transport vehicles have been provided under NRHM. Besides
these, over 3,000 vehicles have been empanelled to transport patients,
particularly pregnant women and sick infants from home to public health
facilities and back. To increase visibility and awareness- 102 & 108 ambulances
are being repositioned as “National Ambulance Service” with universal colour
and design.
NRHM also provides for institutional delivery among the poor
pregnant women under the Janani Suraksha Yojna (JSY). Substantial increase in
institutional deliveries has resulted in the steep decline of the IMR and MMR.
The scheme is operationalized in all the States with more than 12 million
beneficiaries.
The Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), launched in June 2011,
entitles all new-borns and children under one year of age besides pregnant
women to absolutely free and no expense services including free diagnostics,
drugs, consumables, food and blood, if required, besides free transport from
home to institution, between facilities in case of a referral and drop back
home. Nearly 1 crore 23 lakh pregnant women and more than 12 lakh children have
benefitted in 2012-13.
Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) was launched in
February, 2013. It entitles children in the age group of zero to eighteen years
across the country to receive free health screening services and free treatment
including surgeries, where required. An estimated 27 crore children are to be
covered across the country eventually, with screening for 30 common health
conditions for early detection of: Defects, Diseases, Deficiencies and
Developmental disorders. More than 1 crore 86 lakh children screened; more than
7 lakhs 64 thousand children referred; more than 90 thousand children have
availed free secondary or tertiary health care
The Government has implemented Home Based Newborn Care up to 42
days of life through ASHAs, Newborn care corners (NBCC) at delivery points and
training of health care providers in Navjaat Shishu Suraksha Karyakram(NSSK)
for effective essential newborn care is a key component of the newborn
continuum of care have been established. And Special New Born Care Units
(SNCUs) at FRUs/DH and Newborn Stabilisation Units (NBSUs) have been
established to provide care to sick, low birth weight and preterm
newborns.
For management of children with Severe Acute Malnutrition, 872
Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres have been operationalized in the country till
December 2013. Training Package for Facility Based Management of Children with
Severe Acute Malnutrition has been shared with the States in 2013.
The Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK), launched recently,
aims to bring in several new dimensions like- mental health, nutrition,
substance misuse, gender based violence and non-communicable diseases. The
programme introduces community based interventions through peer educators. The
strategic approach to RMNCH+A (Reproductive, Maternal, New born, Child Health +
Adolescent) in which `A` denotes adolescents
To meet the challenge of high prevalence and incidence of anaemia amongst
adolescent girls and boys, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched
the Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) Programme for 10-19 years
adolescent population. Also the National Iron + Initiative was launched for
prevention and treatment of Iron Deficiency Anaemia among different age groups.
Under National Iron + Initiative initiative it is envisaged to ensure provision
of IFA supplementation and therapeutic management of mild, moderate and severe
anaemia in the most vulnerable groups – children (6months- 10 years),
adolescents (10-19 years), pregnant and lactating women and women of
reproductive age group (15-45 years) through a continuum of care
approach.
The National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE)
addresses health related problems of elderly people. The basic aim of the NPHCE
programme is to provide separate, specialized and comprehensive health care to
the senior citizens at various levels of state health care delivery system
including outreach services.
Government of India initiated an integrated National Programme for
Prevention and Control of Cancers, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke
(NPCDCS).
The Government has launched some of new vaccines like indigenously
developed JE Vaccine (JENVAC) in 2013. Also, Hepatitis B vaccine and second
dose of measles vaccine are now part of the Universal Immunization Programme.
Pentavalent, a combination vaccine, which includes DPT + Hep-B + Hib has been
introduced in eight states: Kerala, Tamil Nadu in December 2011 and Puducherry,
Goa, Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka and J & K in 2012-13. This ensures
complete immunization against five diseases and also reduces the chances of an
adverse event following immunization due to less injection load. Government of
India earlier provided only one JE dose and now has introduced two doses of JE
vaccine under Routine Immunization with first dose at 9-12 months and 2nd dose
at 16-24 months with effect from 1st April 2013.
The Government has also launched Reverse Dot Blot Hybridization
(RDB) Thalassemia Diagnostic Kit and AV Magni-Visualiser the screening device
for cervical cancer in December, 2013 and indigenously developed Diabetes
Screening System and Test Strips in January 2014.
Efforts have been made to increase the number of doctors the
Government rationalized the land use norms for setting up New Medical Colleges,
bed occupancy norms, retirement age of faculty, and teacher student ratio was
relaxed from 1:1 to 1:2 generally and 1:3 in some specific cases for post-graduate
courses. The availability of MBBS seats has gone up from 33,567 to 51,979, i.e.
an increase of 18,412 seats or almost 55%. During the same period, the number
of PG seats has increased from 13,838 to 23,931 i.e. an increase of 10,093
seats or almost 73%. Within this period, 97 new medical colleges, including six
new AIIMS, have been established raising the number of Medical Colleges from
290 to 387, which is all time high. Similarly, 19 Government Medical Colleges
have been up-graded as super speciality hospitals. Together the 6 new AIIMS,
and 19 up-graded institutions would provide speciality and super-speciality
care in all disciplines with a net addition of 11,390 beds covering 27
locations spread across the country
