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Gap in the Doctor-Population Ratio
Shri K.M. Saifullah, wanted to know about the
present doctor-population ratio in relation to the goal
of Health for All by 2000 AD and details of the amount
spent on medical care activities.
In reply, Shri Dalit Ezhilmalai, Minister of State for
Health and Family Welfare, stated that according to the
the Medical Council of India, the allopathic
doctor-population ratio is 1:1980, which is far better
than in other countries of the South-East Asia. Taken
together with the practitioners of Indian Systems of
Medicine and Homeopathy, the ratio is still better.
However, disparities in the availability of doctors exist
in rural areas of some states for which various measures
have been initiated by the respective state governments.
Per capita government expenditure on health, taken
together with private consumption expenditure, comes to
Rs 239/- for 1995-96 at current prices. This does not
include expenditure incurred on family welfare and
expenditure incurred by local authorities.
To achieve the goal of Health for All, a wide network of
136339 sub-centres, 22010 primary health centres, 2622
community health centres etc. have been in operation in
the country. External assistance has been mobilized by
the central government for supporting national programmes
for control of diseases such as AIDS, Malaria, TB,
Leprosy and Blindness. A comprehensive project for
reproductive and child health caters to the special needs
of women and children.Rajya Sabha Unstarred
Question No 1047 dated 5 June 1998.
Action Plan to
Counter Malaria
Shri Ram Gopal Yadav raised a question on the
action plan initiated by the government to counter the
Malaria threat. The Minister of State for Health answered
that an Operational Manual for Malaria Action Plan has
been prepared by the central government and provided to
states and UTs. For intensification of anti-malaria
activities, seven North-eastern states and UTs are being
provided 100% central assistance w.e.f. Dec. 1994. In
other states the National
Malaria Eradication Programme is being shared with 50%
central assistance.
Besides, 100 districts in seven states namely AP, Bihar,
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Orissa and
Maharashtra have been included under the Enhanced Malaria
Control Project launched with support for five years from
the World Bank from 30-9-1997. The total financial outlay
is Rs 891.04 crores. Besides certain activities like
Human Resource Development, IEC and Management
Information Systems are proposed to cover the entire
country.
RS USQ No
1102
dated 5 June 1998.
Enforcement of
Guidelines for Waste Disposal
In response to the questions raised by Shri
Gupudas Dasgupta and Shri Jalaludin Ansari on the waste
disposal by various hospitals in Delhi, the Minister of
State of Health stated that a survey was conducted by
"Shristi", a non-governmental organization
between the last week of February and the first week of
March 1998 of 8 hospitals and one major Blood Bank.
The main findings of the
Survey were:
- Of the hospitals with
Incinerators, only 14.2% of the Incinerators were
operating at temperatures prescribed by Central
Pollution Control Board.
- Dr. R.M.L. Hospital
was the only Hospital that had a shredder
installed for plastic waste.
- A lot of infectious
waste was being directed towards bins even in
hospitals with Incinerators.
- Plastic material from
the hospitals were being collected for recycling.
- Many Incinerator
Operators and Waste Collectors had no idea of the
hazards of waste, nor were they given any
protective gear.
- Segregation of waste
was not being done properly.
Central government have
released funds to central government hospitals for
training of medical and other personnel about waste
management. The Director General of Health Services has
constituted a Committee to regularly monitor the disposal
of Hospital Waste generated by Central Government
Hospitals in New Delhi.
RS USQ No
1097
dated 5 June 1998.
Cotton Growers of
Andhra Pradesh
The plight of farmers because of crop failure
and subsequent suicides by some of them in Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka and other states figured prominently
in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Many Members of Parliament
raised questions on the issue, cutting across party
lines. They wanted to know whether any official inquiry
has been conducted into these incidents, compensation
given, the steps proposed by the Government and above all
the total number of deaths.
The Government in response to these queries answered that
236 farmers in AP, 29 in Karnataka and 51 in Maharashtra
have committed suicide. The state governments have
conducted inquires into the causes of these suicides. AP
has sanctioned ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh to 142 of the 236,
the rest under scrutiny, similarly Karnataka 13 out of 29
and 19 out of 51 in Maharashtra. Other relief measures
include providing houses, admission to the wards of the
victims, re-scheduling of bank loans, pension under
social security schemes etc. Special package measures
have alsobeen announced to assist the farmers facing debt
trap due to damage to crops.
The Reserve Bank as a
special case announced the follow relief measures:
- no recovery of either
principal or interest from the affected farmers
for a period of two years;
- conversion/rescheduling
of loan for a period of 7 years excluding initial
moratorium period of two years, i.e. total period
of 9 years and
- sanction of fresh
crop loans to the affected farmers.
Rs 432 crores covering 5
lakh farmers in AP has been given fresh crop loans and
conversion/rescheduling of old loans. The Central
Government is providing relief to these affected states
from the Calamity Relief Fund and National Fund for
Calamity Relief. An amount of 12 crores has been released
to Andhra Pradesh and the case of other states are under
consideration.
Lok Sabha Starred Question No 2 dated 27 May 1998.
LS USQ No. 413 dt. 29 May 1998.
Exploitation of
Child Labour
Shri N. Dennis raised a question on the measures
taken by the Government to check exploitation of child
labour.
In reply, Dr. Satyanarayan Jatiya, Minister of Labour,
told the House that Under the Child Labour (Prohibition
and Regulation) Act, 1986, the employment of children is
prohibited in 7 occupations and 18 processes contained in
part A & B of the schedule to the Act. Employers
violating these provisions are liable for prosecution.
Apart from legal measures, Government have taken steps
for withdrawal and rehabilitation of child labourers
working in hazardous occupations. A major programme was
announced in August 1994, for the rehabilitation of
children in these occupations. 76 child labour projects
have been set up to benefit 1.5 lakh children working in
hazardous occupations. Government is also following the
directions from the Supreme Court asking for payment of
compensation to those employed in hazardous occupations.
LS USQ No.
1017 dt. 2 June 1998
Filaria Affected
Persons in Country
Shri Raghavji inquired about the number of
people suffering from Lymph Filaria disease, the
projections for the year 2000 and the steps taken by
Government to address the problem.
The Minister for Health answered that as per 1996
estimates there were approximately 21.23 million Filaria
cases, and 28.01 million micro-filaria carriers in the
country. About 463.58 million people living in filaria
endemic states will be exposed to the risk of filariasis
by the end of the year 2000.
Control measures include recurrent anti-larval measures,
using larvicides in the mosquito breeding places,
anti-parasitic measures by detection of micro-filaria
carriers, and treatment with D-ethyl carba-mazine (DEC),
IEC activities and management of acute and chronic
filariasis through referral services.
RS USQ 337,
dt. 29 May 1998.
Gap between
Wholesale and Retail Prices of Medicines
In response to the a question raised by Shri
Anantray Devshanker Dave regarding the price difference
of drugs between wholesale and retailers and the proposed
measures taken to reduce drug prices, the Minister of
State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Dr A.K. Patel
informed the House that under DPCO 1995, a retailer is
entitled for a minimum of 16% margin for scheduled
medicines. If a manufacturer/wholesaler gives much more
margin than 16% it is at his own cost and nothing to do
with the retail price of medicines.
Whenever the prices of scheduled bulk drugs are reduced,
the prices of the formulations based thereon, are also
reduced on suo-moto basis. In the case of non-scheduled
drugs, a close watch is kept by monitoring their prices
and government has powers to fix their prices in case of
necessity.
Recently prices of formulations based on bulk drugs
Ranitidine, Pentoxyphylline, Ibuprofen and Rifampicin
etc. have been reduced on suo-moto basis in the interest
of the poor consumers.
RS USQ 280
dt. 29 May 1998.
Insecticides
Shri Yerran Naidu wanted to know about the
number of insecticides manufacturers in the country and
the value of these products during 1997-98.
In reply, Dr. A.K. Patel informed that most of the
insecticides have been delicensed w.e.f. August 1991.
More than 125 units in the organized sector are engaged
in the manufacture of more than 60 technical grade
pesticides in the country, totaling about 82,000 metric
tonnes. The export (prov) was worth 588 crores and
imports 56 crores during 1997-98.
LS USQ No
1962 dt. 6 June 1998.
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