3 July : The government informed the Rajya Sabha that only 310 districts out of 595 districts in the country have mobile medical units and the responsibility lies with the states to cover all the areas.
Replying to a supplementary by Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP) during the Question Hour, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that though the Centre is ready to provide funds for one mobile medical unit in each district, many states have not sent in their requests for the same.
Prasad had demanded that one unit at least be made available in each district.
The minister informed the House that states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have recently shown interest to avail benefits under National Rural Health Mission, though it has been under implementation since the UPA first came to power in 2004.
He said the Centre is ready to provide 100 per cent funding to provide medical facilities in rural areas, but asked states to put in their demands first.
The minister also said that the Centre (not the states) would identify in next three months the areas where medical facilities are required on a priority basis and would fund the state governments in appointing doctors on contractual basis.
The Centre has categorised the areas — difficult, very difficult, inaccessible, tribal and hilly — for appointment of doctors on priority.