The Centre today cautioned the people against the spread of dengue, saying the Aedes mosquito transmitted disease is endemic and it can affect all sections of the population.
According to the Health Ministry, an estimated 75,808 cases of dengue were reported in 2013 in the county. It was 50,222 in 2012.
Quoting a World Health Organization (WHO) report on neglected tropical diseases published in 2010, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan informed the Rajya Sabha the average economic burden due to the diseases was estimated at USD 29.3 million.
In a written reply, the minister said rabies is also endemic in India and an estimated 20,000 rabies death occur in the country annually.
Replying to another question, the minister stated that the number of new cases of leprosy have been reported from certain parts of the country during the past three year.
"In order to improve detection of new cases, intensive case detection drive was conducted in 209 high endemic districts in 2012-13, when more than 20,000 new cases were detected.
"During 2013-14, similar drives were conducted in high endemic blocks of low endemic districts and in the uncovered areas of high endemic districts," Vardhan said.
On the question of whether the Centre is planning to introduce any regulatory mechanism to monitor pricing in private hospitals and stop them from charging exorbitant fees, he said health being a state subject, it is the responsibility of the respective state/UT government to introduce it.
However, it has enacted the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act 2010 and notified Clinical Establishments Rules 2012 for registration and regulation of clinical establishments including private hospitals.
"The States/UTs are required to adopt the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act 2010 under Article 252 of the Constitution," he said.
As per Clinical Establishments Rules 2012, hospitals shall display the rates charged for each type of services provided and facilities available at a conspicuous place in the local as well as English language.
"The clinical establishments shall charge the rates for each type of procedures and services within the range of rates determined and issued by the Central Government from time to time in consultation with the State Governments," it says.
