Parliament Question: Shortage of Medical Equipment in Bundelkhand Region

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 3430 TOBE ANSWERED ONTHE 07.08.2026 SHORTAGEOFMEDICALEQUIPMENTIN BUNDELKHAND REGION †3430.SHRINARAYANDAS AHIRWAR: Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased tostate: (a) whether it isa fact thatpeople have to dependonbigcities for bettermedicaltreatment due to the shortage of doctors, specialist doctors, nurses, modern medical equipment and other healthfacilities inthe rural areasof the countryespeciallyinthe Bundelkhandregion; (b) if so, the detailsthereof; (c) whether the Government isaware that posts for doctorsandhealth workers are lyingvacant and there is a lack of basic facilities and equipment in various district hospitals, Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the said region; and (d) if so, the concretesteps takenby the Government tostrengthen the health infrastructure, fill the vacant posts, provide modern medical equipment and ensure quality and accessible health services torural citizensin the said region, alongwith the actionplan proposed tobe takenby the Government for the next three years? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a) to (d): Public Health & hospitals, is State subject andtherefore, the primary responsibility of strengthening public healthcare system is with the State/Union Territories. However, under the National Health Mission, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to the States/ Union Territories including all areas of Uttar Pradesh & Madhya Pradeshtostrengthen the public healthcaresystem includingsupport for healthcare staff,medical equipment and other health facilities in the rural areas of the country based on the proposalsreceived in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs)under National Health Mission. Government of India provides approval for the proposal in the form of Record of Proceedings (RoPs) as per norms & available resources. Details of the approvals given for the strengthening of public healthcare system in Uttar Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh are available at website of Ministry of HealthandFamily Welfareat the Uniform Resources Locator(URL) asunder: https://www.nhm.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=1&sublinkid=1377&lid=744 The details regarding In-position specialist doctors, nurses and health workers and their vacancies in Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and District Hospitals across the countryDistrict-wise canbe accessed at the following linkof Health Dynamicsof India (HDI) 2023-24: https://www.mohfw-dohfw.gov.in/static/uploads/2026/05/57202cf30629539e4d0fb0a2f700ac62.pdf Under NHM, following types of incentives and honorarium are provided for encouraging doctors andhealth workers towork inrural and remote areas of the country toensure quality and accessible healthservices:  Hard area allowance to specialist doctors for serving in rural and remote areas and for theirresidential quarters so thattheyfind it attractivetoserve inpublic health facilities insuch areas.  Honorarium to Gynecologists/ Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC) trained, Pediatricians & Anesthetist/ Life Saving Anaesthesia Skills (LSAS) trained doctors is also providedtoincrease availabilityof specialists for conductingCesarean Sectionsin rural & remote area.  Incentives like special incentives for doctors, incentive for Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife (ANM) for ensuring timely Antenatal Checkup (ANC) checkup and recording, incentives for conducting Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health activities.  States are also allowed to offer negotiable salary to attract specialist including flexibilityinstrategiessuch as“YouQuote We Pay”. Non-Monetary incentives such as preferential admission in post graduate courses for staff serving in difficult areas and improving accommodation arrangement in rural areashave also beenintroducedunderNHM.  Multi-skilling of doctors is supported under NHM to overcome the shortage of specialists. Skill upgradation of existing Human Resource (HR) is another major strategy underNHM for achievingimprovementinhealthoutcomes. Further, the Family Adoption Programme (FAP) has been incorporated into the MBBS curriculum to provide equitable healthcare access to rural population. FAP involves Medical Colleges adopting villages, and MBBS students adopting families within these villages. This enables regular follow-up of adopted families for vaccination, growth monitoring, menstrual hygiene, Iron-Folic Acid supplementation, healthy lifestyle practices, nutrition, vector control, and medication adherence. It also helps in educating families about ongoing government health programmes. Under District Residency Program (DRP) of National Medical Commission (NMC), second/third yearPGstudents of medical collegesare posted indistrict hospitals. Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) is another Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) with some Central Sector Components (CS) which has an outlay of Rs. 64,180 Crores for the scheme period (2021-22 to 2025-26). The measures under the PM-ABHIM focus on developing capacities of health systems and institutions across the continuum of care at all levels, primary, secondary and tertiary, to prepare health systems in responding effectively tothe current andfuture pandemics/disasters. Under Fifteenth Finance Commission (FC-XV), grants has been recommended through local governments for specific components of the health sector and spread over the five-year period from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26 to facilitate strengthening of health system at the grass- root level. *****