MoS Health informs Rajya Sabha about key steps taken for strengthening medical infrastructure

New Delhi: The Government has launched several schemes like National Health Mission (NHM), Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) and the Establishment of new Medical Colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals for strengthening the medical infrastructure, Minister of State of Health and Family Welfare Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar informed the Rajya Sabha recently. 

Responding to a series of questions raised regarding any plans to strengthen the medical infrastructure in the country, the Minister of State of Health and Family Welfare recently apprised the Rajya Sabha about several government initiatives aimed at upgrading the healthcare sector for the benefit of citizens and the country as a whole. 

“Public Health and Hospitals” is a State subject and the primary responsibility of strengthening the medical infrastructure lies with the respective State Governments. However, the Government of India has launched several Schemes like National Health Mission; Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) and the Establishment of new Medical Colleges attached to existing district/referral hospitals for strengthening the medical infrastructure. 

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The matter was raised in Parliament by Rajya Sabha member Shri Ram Shakal on July 25 who sought to know from the MoS Health if the government has formulated an action plan for strengthening the medical infrastructure and if so the details. Further, he asked about the quantum of the amount spent during the last three years in these schemes. 

While answering these queries in a written reply, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar informed about several schemes made by the central government which includes

(i) National Health Mission (NHM):- Under NHM, technical and financial support is provided to the States/UTs to strengthen the public healthcare delivery at public healthcare facilities. Support is provided to States/ UTs for setting up new facilities as per norms and up-gradation of existing facilities for bridging the infrastructure gaps, including in rural areas, based on the requirement posed by them.

(ii) Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY):- The PMSSY aims at correcting regional imbalances in the availability of affordable tertiary healthcare services and to augment facilities for quality medical education in the country. The Scheme has two components, namely, (i) Setting up the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS); and (ii) Upgradation of existing Government Medical Colleges/Institutions (GMCIs). So far setting up of 22 new AIIMS and 75 projects of upgradation of GMCIs have been approved under the Scheme in various phases. A statement showing the amount released under PMSSY in Financial Years 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 is as follows:

(iii) Establishment of new Medical Colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals:- The Scheme is implemented with a preference for underserved areas and aspirational districts, where there is no existing Government or private medical college. Under three phases of this Scheme, a total of 157 medical colleges have been approved in the country. A statement showing the amount released under the scheme is as follows:

(iv) Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-AB-HIM) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with Central Sector Components, with an outlay of Rs.64,180 Crores for the scheme period (2021-22 to 2025-26). The scheme focuses on developing capacities of health systems and institutions across the continuum of care at all levels viz. primary, secondary and tertiary and on preparing health systems in responding effectively to current and future pandemics/disasters. The objective of the scheme is to fill critical gaps in health infrastructure, surveillance and health research – spanning both urban and rural areas. A statement showing the amount released under the scheme is as follows:

(v) In the Budget Speech 2023-24, the establishment of 157 Nursing Colleges has been announced in the 157 Medical Colleges approved under the scheme of “Establishment of new Medical colleges attached with existing district/ referral hospital”.

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