Cabinet apprised of progress under National Health Mission

New Delhi [India], Oct 9 (ANI): The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Wednesday apprised of the progress under the National Health Mission (NHM) and its decisions taken regarding the Empowered Programme Committee and Mission Steering Group (MSG).
There has been an acceleration in the decline of Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), Under Five Mortality Rate (U5MR) and the IMR since the launch of the NHM. At the current rate of decline, India should able to reach its Sustainability Development Goal (SDG) target (MMR - 70, U5MR - 25) much before 2030, an official statement said.
India was the biggest success story amongst malaria-endemic countries in the world, in bringing down malaria cases and deaths which have declined by 49.09 per cent and 50.52 per cent in 2013 respectively compared to 2017.
The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) has been significantly strengthened and intensified. A total of 1,180 CBNAAT machines across all districts have been installed which provides a rapid and accurate diagnosis for tuberculosis (TB) including drug-resistant TB. This has resulted in three-fold increased use of CBNAAT over the past year, the statement said.
"Due to the intensified efforts, there is 16 per cent jump in the identification of new cases in one year. Universal drug-sensitive cases also increased by 54 per cent. Newer drug regimen of Bedaquiline and Delaminide and nutrition support to all the TB patients for the duration of the treatment has been rolled throughout the country," it said.
In 2018-2019, 52,744 Ayushman Bharat -- Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) were approved against which 17,149 HWCs were operationalised.
A total of 1,81,267 health workers which included ASHAs, MPHWs, staff nurses and PHC-MOs were trained on NCDs during this period. The states have initiated activities to operationalise the HWCs.
Amongst the new vaccines, Tetanus and adult diphtheria (Td) vaccine replaced Tetanus Toxoid (TT) vaccine under the universal immunisation programme in 2018 to ensure diphtheria immunity among adults.
In 2018, Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination drive was conducted in 17 additional states, thereby covering 30.50 crores children till March this year.
In 2018-2019, Rotavirus vaccine (RVV) was introduced in additional two states. Till date, all the states and Union Territories (UTs) are covered with RVV.
"In the same period, Pneumococcal Conjugated Vaccine (PCV) was expanded to Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and the remaining districts of Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh," said the statement.
"The routine and recurring incentives of ASHAs got increased from Rs 1,000 per month to Rs 2,000 per month. ASHAs and ASHA facilitators were provided the cover of Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojana (premium of Rs 330 contributed by the Centre) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Beema Yojana (premium of Rs 12 contributed by the Centre)," it said.

The scheme for awarding states/UTs/districts for achieving disease-free status in TB, leprosy, malaria, kala-azar, lymphatic-filariasis and cataract was approved. This will allow certification of the districts/states as disease-free ahead of the national certification and promote healthy competition among states and districts, similar to ODF districts and states.
The National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme was approved for prevention, management and treatment of Hepatitis to A, B, C and E and rollout was initiated. The programme would benefit an estimated 5 crore patients suffering from the disease, the statement further said. (ANI)