Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

Right to Health
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Chhatisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharshtra, Orissa, Rajasthan and Tripura
have been received.
7.17 The Commission proposes to closely monitor the situation.
C] Plan of Action to Tackle Fluorosis
7.18 The Commission is deeply concerned about the health dimensions of fluorosis, which
affects nearly 66 million persons in 196 districts in 19 States of the country. The Commission
had therefore sought information related to fluorosis from 19 endemic States. There is a need
for a concrete Policy to deal with it in all its dimensions – prevention/detection/diagnosis/
treatment.
7.19 Prof. A.K.Susheela, Executive Director, Fluorosis Research and Rural Development
Foundation, Delhi, informed the Commission that it was basically a health problem, which
is not diagnosed correctly. She added that none of the State Governments instituted
facilities for its prevention, detection and treatment and fresh medical graduates were
ignorant of this disease. She observed that as a result of inaccurate diagnosis, fluorosis is
being treated wrongly. Its early detection is the key solution to the problem.
She emphasized the need for educating the doctors and making diagnostic facilities
available in all districts.
7.20 A meeting to discuss the human rights issues relating to fluorosis was convened by the
Commission. The Secretary, Health, Government of India; Director General Health Services;
Director, National Institute of Communicable Diseases; Deputy Director General, Indian Council
of Medical Research; and Prof. (Dr.) A.K.Susheela from the Fluorosis Research and Rural
Development Foundation, Delhi participated in this meeting. After a detailed discussion,
Department of Health, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, agreed to take action on the
following:
●
Mount a National Programme covering endemic states affected by fluorosis.
●
Prepare a Plan of Action in consultation with the Director General Health Services, ICMR
and Dr. Susheela within a month.
●
Take up the issue of fluorosis in its various manifestations and dimensions in the next
meeting of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare scheduled in
December 2004, which will be attended by all Health Ministers and Health Secretaries
of all States.
●
Department of Health to give a directive to the Medical Council of India (MCI) to include
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