Parliament Question: Strengthening of Health Services in Uttar Pradesh

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE LOK SABHA STARREDQUESTION NO. *90 TO BE ANSWERED ONTHE 24THJULY,2026 STRENGTHENING OFHEALTH SERVICES IN UTTAR PRADESH †*90. SHRI RAM SHIROMANI VERMA: Will the MINISTER OFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government is awarethat risk of Japanese Encephalitis, Acute Encephalitis Syndrome, Dengue, Malaria and water-borne diseases increases in flood-affected districts like Shravasti and Balrampur in Uttar Pradesh during monsoon season, if so, the measures taken for effective control and prevention ofthese diseases; (b) whether any special scheme is being implemented to ensure availability of specialist doctors, life-saving medicines, modern equipment and diagnostic facilities at district hospitals, Community Health Centres and Primary Health Centres in thesedistricts, if so, the details thereof; (c) whether the Government has formulated any special action plan for vaccination, public awareness, mobile medical units and the expansion of emergency health for control of these diseases in such districts, if so, the details thereof; and (d) whether the Government proposes to implement any special package or time-bound action plan to strengthen health services in aspirational and flood-affected districts including the said districts, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE (SMTANUPRIYAPATEL) (a) to(d) AStatementislaidon the Table of the House.STATEMENTREFERRED TO IN REPLYTOLOK SABHA STARREDQUESTION NO. *90FOR24THJULY,2026 (a) and(c): PublicHealth isa StateSubject andthe responsibility for strengthening of healthcare system lies with respective State/Union Territory Governments. However, under National Health Mission (NHM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India provides financial and technical support to the States/UTs based on the Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) submitted by the States/UTs within theiroverallresource envelope. As the risk of Japanese Encephalitis(JE), Acute EncephalitisSyndrome,Dengue, Malaria and water-bornediseases such asAcute Diarrhoeal Diseases, Cholera,Dysentery, Hepatitis–A& E, Leptospirosis increasesduring monsoon period,Government of India (GoI) starts preparatoryactivities well before the monsoon season. Throughthe National SurveillanceNetwork underIntegratedDisease SurveillanceProgramme (IDSP),these diseases are continuously monitored during the monsoon season inflood-prone districts. The following measures have been undertakentopreventandcontrol spread of these diseases inthe countryincludingUttar Pradesh:  Disease Management involving early case detection with active, passive and sentinel surveillance followed by complete and effective treatment, strengthening of referral services, epidemic preparednessandrapidresponse.  IntegratedVectorManagementincludingIndoorResidual Sprayinselectedhigh-riskareas,use of larvivorous fish, anti-larval measures in urban areas including bio-larvicides and minor environmentalengineeringandsourcereductionforpreventionofbreeding.  Inter-Sectoral Convergence including high-level advocacy with allied ministries, Human ResourceDevelopmentthroughcapacitybuildingandpolicydevelopment.  Supportive Interventions aiming at Information Education and Communication (IEC) & Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) and dissemination of public health messages through various media platforms including social media, radio, newspapers, and electronic media.  States are trained to enter the dataon Integrated Health InformationPortal (IHIP) for realtime monitoring.  The Government is actively collaborating with State Health Departments and Urban Local Bodies to enhance sanitation, strengthen mosquito control measures, and increase public awarenessforthepreventionandcontrolofmalariaandothervector-bornediseases(VBDs).  Inter-departmental coordination, involving Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), Self-Help Groups (SHGs),Public Distribution System (PDS) members, and religious/community leaders tomobilize communitiesandpromotepreventivepractices.  Technical Guidelines for case management, prevention and control to the States for implementation.  For surveillance and free diagnosis of Dengue, a network of 887 Sentinel Surveillance Hospitals (SSHs) and 27 Apex Referral laboratories (ARLs) identified across the country. Out of these 86 SSHs and three ARLs are identified in Uttar Pradesh. One SSH each has been identified for Shravasti and Balrampur districts. GoI provides IgM test kits to all identified laboratoriesthroughNational InstituteofVirology(NIV),Pune.  Capacity building and training of trainers, community leaders, and frontline workers to enhanceoutreachat thegrassrootslevel. To tackle malaria outbreaks and prevent further spread, the Government has ensured adequate stocks of diagnostic kits and anti-malarial drugs at all health centers and hospitals across the country.  Advisories are regularly issued to States and Union Territories including Uttar Pradesh to continue promotive,preventive,andcurativemeasures, includingoutbreakcontainment.  “STOP Diarrhoea Campaign” is conducted which aims at reducing illness and preventing deaths due to Diarrhoea among children under five years of age. The campaign follows the Protect, Prevent and Treat (PPT) strategy and promotes early management of Diarrhoea throughOralRehydrationSolution(ORS)andZincsupplementation. (b) and (d): Under NHM, following incentives and honorarium are provided for encouraging specialists doctorstopracticeinrural andremote areasof the countrytoaddress the shortage of staff:  Hard area allowance tospecialist doctorsfor serving inrural andremote areas.  Multi-skilling of doctors is supported under NHM to overcome the shortage of specialists and for achievingimprovement inhealthoutcomes.  Under Free Diagnostics Service Initiative, Government of India provides financial support to States/UTs for providing accessible and affordable pathological and radiological diagnostics services, free of cost at all levels of public health facilities (14 tests at Sub Health Centres (SHCs), 63 at Primary Health Centers (PHCs), 97 at Community Health Centres (CHCs), 111 test at SubDistrict Hospitals (SDHs)and 134 tests at District Hospitals (DHs)).  To ensure availability of essential drugs and reduce the Out of Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) of the patients visiting the public health facilities, Government has rolled out the Free Drugs Service Initiative (FDSI) under NHM. This includes financial support to States/UTs for 113 drugs at AAM-SHCs, 179at AAM-PHCs, 301at CHCs, 318at SDHsand381 drugs at DHs.  AdvancedLife Support(ALS),Basic Life Support(BLS), PatientTransport Vehicle(PTV), Boat Ambulances, Bike Emergency Response Vehicles, Mobile Medical Units etc. are supported under National Health Mission for transportation & emergency care of patients in the country includingUttar Pradesh. *****