Annual report 1991-92.

The 8th Five Year Plan (1992-1997) for India charges the Department of Health to promote activities resulting in a sizable reduction in morbidity and mortality of communicable and noncommunicable diseases. The Department continues implementing measures to prevent and control AIDS including creation of 67 surveillance centers in 35 cities and 118 zonal blood-testing facilities. Multidrug therapy for leprosy has resulted in rising discharge rates and declining new detection rates. There have been epidemics of Kala-Azar in Bihar and West Bengal and of Japanese encephalitis in Uttar Pradesh. As for noncommunicable diseases the Department stresses blindness and cancer control. It also has put priority on proper enforcement of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act (1940). It has recently established the National Institute of Biologicals near Delhi for quality control of vaccines and biologicals testing the efficacy and safety of new vaccines (e.g. leprosy and hepatitis) and safeguarding blood products reagents and diagnostic kits. The Family Welfare Programme promotes family planning and maternal and child health. It is vigorously pursuing voluntary acceptance of the small family norm in light of the countrys population explosion. The Conference of the Ministers in charge of Health and Family Welfare has endorsed an Action Plan to overhaul the Programme. Some new initiatives include incentives and disincentives to promote acceptance of the small family norm and ensuring peoples participation in Programme activities. The Programme continues to promote oral rehydration therapy and communication strategies. It has established a National Council of Population Research to coordinate demographic research activities and a National Family Health Survey.