[UPPSC-UP Special Syllabus Decoded] Medical and Health Issues in Uttar Pradesh

1. Healthcare Infrastructure & Delivery System

Trend: Shift from “Primary Health Centers (PHCs)” to “Medical Education Expansion” (One District One Medical College) and “Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).”

A. Three-Tier Health Structure

• Primary Level:
  • Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (Health & Wellness Centers): Transformation of Sub-centers/PHCs to provide 12 essential services including Yoga and Screening for NCDs.
  • Community Health Centers (CHCs): First Referral Units (FRUs) – Critical gaps in specialist doctors (Surgeons/Gynecologists).
• Tertiary Level:
  • One District One Medical College (ODOMC):
    • Goal: To have a medical college in all 75 districts.
    • Current Status (2025): Operational in 65+ districts; remaining under construction/PPP mode (e.g., Maharajganj, Sambhal).
  • AIIMS Expansion: AIIMS Raebareli and AIIMS Gorakhpur functioning as regional hubs.

B. New Health Policy Models (PPP Focus)

• UP Health Policy Models :
  • Model A (Aspirational Districts): High incentives (Viability Gap Funding) for private players to set up hospitals in backward districts like Balrampur/Chitrakoot.
  • Model B (Underserved Areas): Moderate incentives for districts with low bed density.
  • Model C (Developed Areas): Facilitation support for Noida/Ghaziabad.

 Current Affairs Linkage :

• Ayushman Bharat Leadership: As of September 2025, UP became the first state to issue over 5.38 Crore Ayushman Cards, covering 87% of eligible families.
• Ayushman Vay Vandana Card: UP launched this special card in late 2024 to extend ₹5 Lakh coverage specifically to senior citizens (70+) irrespective of income status.

2. Major Health Issues & Disease Burden

Trend: Rising burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) alongside the “elimination targets” of Communicable diseases.

A. Communicable Diseases

• Vector-Borne Diseases:
  • Dengue/Chikungunya: Seasonal outbreaks in urban pockets (Lucknow, Kanpur).
  • JE/AES (Encephalitis): The “Dastak Abhiyan” success story in Gorakhpur/Purvanchal (drastic reduction in child mortality).
• Tuberculosis (TB):
  • Target: TB-Mukt Bharat by 2025.
  • Ni-Kshay Mitra: UP has the highest number of “Mitras” (donors) adopting TB patients for nutritional support.

B. Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

• Lifestyle Diseases: Rising cases of Diabetes, Hypertension, and Cancer in rural UP due to changing dietary habits.
• Sickle Cell Anemia: High prevalence in tribal belts (Sonbhadra/Lakhimpur); “Sickle Cell Elimination Mission 2047” implementation status.

3. Maternal & Child Health (MCH)

Trend: Focus on “Institutional Delivery” and “Nutritional Outcomes.”

A. Key Indicators (NFHS-5 vs Current)

• MMR (Maternal Mortality Ratio): UP has shown the highest rate of decline but still lags behind the national average.
• IMR (Infant Mortality Rate): Impact of SNCUs (Sick Newborn Care Units) in district hospitals.

B. Government Interventions

• Mission Indradhanush 5.0: Saturation of immunization coverage (including Measles-Rubella).
• Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK): Free transport (102/108 Ambulance) and diet for pregnant women.
• National Nutrition Mission (Poshan Abhiyan): Technology-based monitoring (Poshan Tracker app) of Anganwadis.

 Current Affairs Linkage :

• Ma-Naval Yojana: A new initiative piloted in 2025 to provide “Kangaroo Mother Care” kits to mothers of low-birth-weight babies in rural CHCs.
• Anemia Mukt Bharat: UP launched a special “T3 Strategy” (Test, Treat, Talk) in schools and colleges in 2024 to combat high anemia rates among adolescent girls.

4. Digital Health Mission in UP

Trend: “Telemedicine” and “Paperless Hospitals.”

A. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)

• ABHA ID: Creation of unique 14-digit Health IDs for citizens.
• e-Sanjeevani OPD: Massive success in rural tele-consultation; UP ranks #1 in the number of daily consultations.

B. Hospital Management

• e-Sushrut: Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) implemented in Medical Colleges for online registration and OPD slips (reducing queues).

5. Issues in Human Resources & Medical Education

Trend: “Availability of Doctors” and “Nursing Infrastructure.”

A.  Manpower Shortage

• Doctor-Patient Ratio: Still below the WHO norm (1:1000) in rural areas.
• Specialist Gap: High vacancy of anesthetists and gynecologists in CHCs affecting C-Section deliveries.

B. Nursing & Paramedical

• Mission Niramaya: A flagship reform to upgrade the quality of Nursing/Paramedical Institutes through rating systems and mentorship by reputed institutes.

 Current Affairs Linkage :

• Mission Niramaya 2.0: In 2025, the UP Govt introduced “Global Placement Cells” in nursing colleges to facilitate the employment of UP-trained nurses in countries like Japan and Germany.
• Bond Policy: Strict enforcement of the 2-year rural service bond for PG doctors passing out from government colleges in 2024-25.