Page 727 - ES 2020-21_Volume-1-2 [28-01-21]

354 Economic Survey 2020-21 Volume 2

• The ‘PMGKP Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19’ was announced
on 30 March 2020. The Scheme provides and insurance cover of ` 50 lakh to healthcare
th
providers, including community health workers, who may have to be in direct contact and care
of COVID-19 patients and therefore at risk of being infected.
• COVID-19 Vaccine: The world’s largest COVID-19 immunization programme commenced
on 16 January 2021 through the two indigenously manufactured vaccines viz; COVISHIELD
th
and COVAXIN. Based on the humane principle the people at maximum risk of getting infected,
about 3 crore people mainly frontline health workers have been offered the vaccine in the first
round, while about 30 crores including elderly and people with serious co-morbidities will
be vaccinated in the second round. As on 24 January, 2021, 16.13 lakh beneficiaries were
th
vaccinated (PIB release dated 24 January, 2021). The vaccination exercise is underpinned by
th
the principles of people’s participation (Jan Bhagidari), utilizing experience of elections (booth
strategy) and Universal Immunization Program (UIP). There will be no compromise of existing
healthcare services, especially national programs and primary health care; on scientific and
regulatory norms, other SOPs. The Co-WIN software has been developed by Government for
real time information of vaccine stocks, their storage temperature and individualized tracking
of beneficiaries for COVID-19 vaccine, which has been operationalized.

10.35 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs): ASHAs played a key role in the
country’s response for prevention and management of the COVID-19. During the pandemic, in
addition to performing tasks related to COVID-19, they also continued to support community
members for accessing essential health services such as anti-natal care, immunization, safe
delivery and treatment adherence for chronic illnesses. All ASHAs and ASHA facilitators were
covered under PMGKP insurance scheme (Box 7). Their incentives were increased to ` 2000
per month.

Child health outcomes

8
10.36 The Phase-I of National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) , shows that immunization
coverage for children has increased for all 10 States under analysis except for Kerala. The
cash incentives for institutional delivery of pregnant women and ASHAs under Janani Suraksha
Yojana (JSY) and conditional cash transfer under Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
(PMMVY) aims to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates. NFHS-5 shows significant
improvement in the institutional birth in selcted States (Figure 12A). The inter-State difference
on immunization and institutional birth has come down in NFHS-5 in those States showing low
level of immunization and institutional birth in NFHS-4 (Figure 12B).

10.37 Infant mortality rate and under five mortality rate have declined in most of the selected
States in NFHS-5 compared to NFHS-4 (Figure 13). However, inter-State difference in
mortality rates remained quite large. The findings also show mixed picture on stunting, wasting
and anaemic children. When compared to NFHS-4, stunting has declined in Andhra Pradesh,

8 NFHS-5, 2019-20, Phase-I covered 17 States & 5 UTs for the period of Aug-Dec, 2019. Due to change in the
boundary of districts between NFHS-4 and NFHS-5, only 263 out of 342 districts data were comparable. Hence,
point estimates of NFHS-5 needs to be compared with interval estimates of NFHS-4 (2015-16).