Parliament Question: Healthcare problems in Odisha

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE RAJYASABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 1220 TO BE ANSWERED ON10.02.2026 HEALTHCARE PROBLEMS IN ODISHA 1220. DR. SASMITPATRA: Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate: (a) whether Government is aware that districts such as Malkangiri, Kandhamal, Rayagada and Nabarangpur continue to report high maternal mortality, malnutrition, malaria and tuberculosis despite long-standing National Health Mission support; (b) the vacancy position of doctors, specialists, nurses and lab technicians in PHCs andCHCs during the last two years, district-wise; (c) whether delays in fund release, weak monitoring and poor coordination with the Statehave contributed tounderperforminghealthoutcomes; and (d) what urgent, district-specific interventions are being implemented to prevent Odisha’stribal beltfrom remaininga chronic public healthblindspot? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a)to(d): The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare conducts an integrated survey known as the National Family Health Survey (NFHS). The survey provides comprehensive data on health and family welfare, along with related domains such as population characteristics, fertility and fertility preferences, family planning, infant and child mortality, maternalandchild health,nutrition,morbidityandhealthcare, andwomen’sempowerment. As per the Sample Registration System (SRS) released by the Registrar General of India (RGI), the Maternal Mortality Ratio(MMR) of Odisha has improvedfrom 180per lakh live birthsinSRS2014–16to153perlakhlive birthsinSRS2021–23.The details of doctors, specialists, nurses and lab technicians across all States/UTs including Odisha, for the last two years can be accessed at the following link of Health Dynamicsof India (HDI) 2022–23: Sl. RHS/HDI Link No. 1. RHS2021-22 https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/RHS%202021-22_2.pdf 2. HDI2022-23 https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/Health%20Dynamics%2 0of%20India%20%28Infrastructure%20%26%20Human%20R esources%29%202022-23_RE%20%281%29.pdf Under the National Health Mission (NHM), the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare releases funds to the States/UTs in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Department of Expenditure(DoE). The details of central releases tothe State of Odisha under NHM from FY2022–23toFY2024–25are givenbelow: FinancialYear CentralRelease(Rs.inCrore) 2022-23 1284.69 2023-24 1901.77 2024-25 1916.79 Note: The above releases related to Central Govt. Grants & do not include State Share contribution and are provisional. Under NHM, norms have been relaxed for tribal/hilly/hard-to-reach areas to strengthen healthcareaccess. Population criteria for setting upof SubHealth Centres(SHCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) have been reduced to 3,000, 20,000 and 80,000 respectively. One Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) is allowed per habitation instead of per 1,000 population, and up to 4 Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) per district are permitted in tribal and hard-to-reach areas, compared to 2 in plain districts. Under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN), launchedon15thNovember, 2023byMinistry of Tribal Affairs(MoTA), further relaxation in NHM norms has been provided up to 10 MMUs per district with Particularly VulnerableTribal Groups (PVTG) areas. Norms have been relaxed for one additional Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) for each Multi Purpose Centre (MPC) constructed by MoTA. As per MMU portal, 763 MMUs under PM-JANMAN and 155 MMUs under Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JGUA) are operational across the country including Odisha for providingbasic healthservices intribal areastill 31.12.2025. Under NHM, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare implements the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health andNutrition (RMNCAH+N) strategy through a life-cycle approach to address nutrition concerns among adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women, and children under five years across the country, including aspirational districts. Key interventions include Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres for management of MAM and SAM, promotion of optimal breastfeeding through Mothers’ Absolute Affection (MAA), establishment of Lactation Management Centres, implementation of the Anemia Mukt Bharat strategy, biannual National Deworming Day, and observance of Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Days for service delivery and community awareness in convergence with the Ministry of WomenandChild Development. Further, as per information provided by the State of Odisha, various steps have also been taken to bridge healthcare gaps in Tribal areas like Establishment of Maternity Waiting Homes (MWHs) also known as Maa Gruha,, Engagement of more Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) for hard to reach areas/hamlets, National Sickle Cell Mission, Strengthening of Human Resource Health, Outsourcing of PHC (N) management in tribal areas. *****