New Delhi: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday said that efficient coordination between Centre and States can bring out the best output in healthcare delivery in the country.
“Streamlined coordination between Centre and States can bring out the best output in healthcare delivery. The Centre is committed to supporting States through financial and technical resources in efficient and effective implementation of health programmes aimed towards quality healthcare,” said Mandaviya while chairing the seventh meeting of the mission steering group (MSG) of National Health Mission (NHM) here in New Delhi.
The MSG is the apex decision-making body of NHM that takes decisions on policies and program implementation under the Mission. Mandaviya said that India is the only country in the world with a four-layer health infrastructure in place with a 10-lakh strong ASHA workforce at the grassroots. “These powerful foot soldiers of our health force have played a pivotal role in India’s COVID management and COVID vaccination campaigns,” he said.
He said that strengthening incentivisation of the healthcare workers who work with communities at the cutting edge can give an impetus to various programmes. He underscored on timely elimination of diseases such Kala Azar, Leptospirosis etc. “as these diseases largely impact the poorest households and communities in the country.”
During the meeting it was decided to implement a sickle cell screening programme in mission mode. Emphasis was given on the National TB Elimination Programme and it was decided that all necessary actions will be taken up to end TB by 2025 as per Prime Minister’s vision of achieving the target of TB Elimination by the year 2025.
The MSG also deliberated upon costing norms for National Ambulance Services and Mobile Medical Units (MMUs). It was decided to incentivize ASHA for creation and seeding of ABHA IDs in various IT portals of MoHFW. Additionally, the MSG discussed malnutrition among children, awareness and capacity for prevention and control of snakebite and reviewed the status of the Prime Minister National Dialysis Programme.
It was informed in the meeting that more than 1.20 lakh sub health centres and primary health centres have been transformed as Ayushman Bharat – Health & Wellness Centres (AB-HWC) providing comprehensive primary care with a footfall of more than 100.8 crore.
It was also informed in the meeting that notification of TB cases increased from 18.2 lakh in 2017 to 21.35 lakh in 2021 with Rs 1651.27 crore disbursed (under DBT scheme) to 62.71 Lakh TB patients for nutritional support (since 2018). It has been highlighted that the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of India has declined by 453 points – from 556 per one lakh live births in 1990 to 103 in 2017-19 (SRS 2017-19). Seven states have achieved the SDG target of MMR.
