Parliament Question: Presence of Uranium in milk samples of lactating women in Bihar

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE RAJYASABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 2852 TOBE ANSWERED ONTHE 17TH MARCH 2026 PRESENCE OFURANIUM IN MILK SAMPLESOFLACTATINGWOMEN IN BIHAR 2852.#SHRISANJAYYADAV: Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate: (a)whether the presence of Uranium in the milk of lactatingwomen andinthe bloodsamples of their newborns is found in the studies conducted in six districts of Bihar i.e. Bhojpur, Samastipur, Begusarai, Khagaria, Katihar and Nalanda, indicating a risk of Kidney. neurologicalandCancer-related diseases; (b) if so, the reasons therefor; (c)the numberof such cases reportedin the country; and (d) the immediate steps taken by Government so far and the long-term measures being implemented at the national and State level to ensure the health of mothers and newborns affected bythissensitive andserious issue andthe detailsthereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL) (a) to (d) The effect of different elements in environment on the humanbody depends on multifacetedfactors. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare implements Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) strategy in a life cycle approach underNational HealthMission (NHM), which includesinterventionsto address breastfeeding amongthe childrenandlactating mothersacross the countryasplacedbelow.  Mothers’ Absolute Affection (MAA) Programme: Mothers’ Absolute Affection (MAA) Programme is implemented to improve breastfeeding coverage which includes early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding for first six months followed by counselling on age-appropriate complementary feeding practices. Breast milk contains 1proteins, fats, lactose, vitamins, iron and other minerals, anti-infective properties, enzymes andwater inthe amountsnecessary for the babyprovidingcompletenutritiontothe baby.  Lactation Management Centres: Lactation Management Units (LMU) are facilities established to provide lactation support to mothers and to facilitate expression of mother’s own milk and Comprehensive Lactation Management Centres (CLMC) are established to ensure availability of safe, pasteurized Donor Human Milk for feeding of sick, preterm and lowbirthweight babiesadmittedin Neonatal Intensive Care Units and SpecialNewborn Care Units.  Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Days (VHSNDs) are observed monthly for provision of maternal and child health services and creating awareness on maternal and child care including breastfeedingsupport and promotionin convergence with Ministry of WomenandChild Development.  Community Based care of New-born and Young Children is implemented under Home Based New-bornCare(HBNC)andHome-Based Careof YoungChildren (HBYC) program, under which structured home visits are performed by ASHAs to improve child rearing practices including promotion of breastfeeding and addressing lactation issues among childrenandlactating mothers  Mother and Child Protection Card is used for counselling the lactating mothers for breastfeeding, identification and referral of sick children to the health facility. It is also used for identification of growth faltering and developmental delay as per age appropriate developmentalmilestone.  Field level workers as AWW, ANMs, CHOs and ASHAs promote breastfeeding and addressing the lactation concerns and referral of lactating mothers to higher facilities for lactationsupport andmanagement.  Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) under which every pregnant woman and sick infant is entitled to free delivery, including caesarean section, in public health institutions along with provision of free transport, diagnostics, medicines, blood, other consumables& diet.  Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) provides pregnant women a fixed day, free of cost assured and quality antenatal check up by a Specialist/Medical Officer on the 9th day of every month. ExtendedPMSMA(e-PMSMA) strategy was launchedfor individual trackingof high-risk pregnantwomen till a safe delivery.  Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) aims to provide assured, dignified, respectful and quality healthcare at no cost and zero tolerance for denial of services for every 2woman and newborn visiting the public health facility to end all preventable maternal and newborn deaths.  Strengthening of infrastructure including First Referral Units (FRUs), Maternal and Child Health(MCH) Wings, Obstetric High DependencyUnits & Intensive Care Units (Obst. HDU & ICU), Birth Waiting Homes (BWHs) in difficult terrain, remote and tribal areas to improve accesstohealthcare facilitiesandpromote institutional delivery.  The States are provided funds by the National Health Mission based on the proposals received in their Annual Programme Implementation Plans. They support implementation of varioushealthprogrammesandprovide qualityInformation Educationand Communicationmaterial, therebyensuring a healthymotheranda healthy child.  Conclusive correlation of the effect of any element on human body is dependent on various aspects of the studies including scale and duration of studies, vetting by subject experts, publishing in peer reviewed indexed journals and supported by literature and correlationstudies on the matter. ***** 3