Parliament Question: Strengthening of PHCs, CHCs and HWCs

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH ANDFAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH ANDFAMILYWELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 3284 TOBE ANSWERED ON08thAUGUST2025 STRENGTHENING OFPHCs, CHCs AND HWCs †3284. SHRIDHARMENDRAYADAV:

Will the Ministerof HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:

(a) the details of the progress achieved in setting up and strengthening of Primary Health Centres

(PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) in accordance with the relaxation of population norms in tribal and OBC/SC dominated rural areas of the country, State-wise particularlyin Uttar Pradesh;

(b) the steps being taken to address the shortage of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff in health facilitiesserving OBC, SCand STpopulationsinthe country;

(c) the number of mobile medical units currently operational in areas with OBC, SC and ST population along with their effectiveness in providing healthservices, especially for preventive care andearlydiagnosis; and

(d) the specific strategies under National Health Mission (NHM) depicting explicit improvement in maternalandchild healthindicatorsamongOBC, SCandSTwomen andchildreninthe country? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATEIN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE

(SHRIPRATAPRAOJADHAV)

(a): The healthcare system of the country involves a three-tier system with Sub Health Centre

(Rural), PrimaryHealth Centre (Urban andRural) andCommunityHealthCentre (Urban andRural) as the three pillars of Primary Health Care System in India. National Health Mission (NHM) envisages achievement of universal access to equitable, affordable & quality health care services that are accountable and responsive to needs of the population including OBC, SC and ST population.

Asperestablished norms, inrural areasa SubHealthCentre for a populationof5,000(inplain) and3000(inhillyandtribalarea),aPrimaryHealthCentre fora populationof 30,000(inplains)and 20,000 (in hilly and tribal areas) and Community Health Centre for a population of 1,20,000 (in plain)and80,000(inhillyandtribalarea)issuggested.Further, forurbanareaone Urban Ayushman Arogya Mandir is recommended for a urban population of 15,000 to 20,000, one Urban-Primary Health Centre (U-PHC) for a urban population of 30,000 to 50,000, One Urban-Community Health Centre (U-CHC)for every2.5 lakhpopulationinnon-metrocities(above 5lakhpopulation)andone U-CHCfor every5lakhpopulationinthe metrocities.The population norms for setting up SHC, PHC and CHC in tribal and hilly areas has been relaxedfrom5,000,30,000,and1,20,000 to3000,20,000and80,000respectively.

As per Health Dynamics of India (HDI) 2022-23, details of Primary Health Centres (PHCs), CommunityHealthCentres(CHCs) andDistrict Hospitals operationalinthecountryincludingUttar

Pradeshmaybe seenatthe followinglink:

https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/Health%20Dynamics%20of%20India%20%28Infrastructure %20%26%20Human%20Resources%29%202022-23_RE%20%281%29.pdf

(b): Under NHM, following types of incentives and honorarium are provided for encouraging Health Specialists to practice in different regions of the country including rural and remote areas of

the country:

(i) Hard area allowance to specialist doctors for serving in rural and remote areas and for their residential quartersso thattheyfindit attractivetoserveinpublichealthfacilitiesinsuchareas.

(ii) Honorarium to Gynecologists/ Emergency Obstetric Care (EmoC) trained, Pediatricians & Anesthetist/ Life Saving Anaesthesia Skills (LSAS) trained doctors is also provided to increase availabilityofspecialists forconductingCesareanSectionsinrural&remote area.

(iii) Incentives like special incentives for doctors, incentive for ANM for ensuring timely ANC checkup and recording, incentives for conducting Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health activities.

(iv) States are also allowed to offer negotiable salary to attract specialist including flexibility in strategiessuchas “YouQuoteWe Pay”.

(v) Non-Monetary incentives such as preferential admission in post graduate courses for staff serving in difficult areas and improving accommodation arrangement in rural areas have also been introducedunderNHM.

(vi) Multi-skilling ofdoctorsissupported underNHM toovercomethe shortage of specialists. Skill upgradation of existing HR is another major strategy under NRHM for achieving improvement in healthoutcomes.

(c): Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) provide primary healthcare services to remote, tribal, and underserved populations which also include OBC, SC and ST population. These MMUs function as mobile clinics, delivering preventive, promotive,and curative healthcareto areaslackingeasy access to hospitals or health centers. As per NHM MIS December, 2024, there are a total of 1498 MMUs operational in the country including OBC, SC and ST population areas under NHM. Out of these 1498 MMUs, a total of 694 MMUs are currently operational in areas with Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), providingbothpreventive andcurative care.

(d): The Government of India, through the National Health Mission (NHM), has implemented various programs to improve maternal and child health services and outcomes including OBC, SC and ST population throughout the country. These initiatives to reduce Maternal Mortality Rate

(MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) include Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN), Pradhan Mantri SurakshitMatritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), Mothers’ Absolute Affection (MAA), Setting up of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Wings, Birth Waiting Homes (BWH), Anaemia Mukt Bharat (AMB), Facility- Based Newborn Care, Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), Community-based care of Newborn and Young Children, STOPDiarrhoea initiative, Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs), and Universal ImmunizationProgramme (UIP).

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