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Cabinet okays new health policy. Here's what its all about

Vishakh Unnikrishnan | Updated on: 16 March 2017, 14:17 IST
(AFP Photo/Prakash Singh)

The Union Cabinet Wednesday approved a national health policy aimed at providing affordable healthcare and increased dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief.

Details of the policy, expected to benefit millions of central government employees and pensioners, were not fully released.


Union Health Minister JP Nadda is expected to announce them Thursday, a health ministry official said.

Affordable services for all

The government earlier said the policy was intended to ensure universal access to affordable health-care services and that it would explore the creation of a health cess to raise funds.

In India, health is a state subject: the health policy of the state you reside in would be relevant to you. But the new policy would pave the way in ensuring basic affordable health care services are available for all.

The new policy comes after 15 years since the last policy was introduced in 2002. It fundamentally aims at tackling non-communicable diseases, improving health centres at the primary level and focus on improving immunisation programmes.

According to officials in the health ministry, the policy was expected to be cleared latest by February, but there was a bit of a delay.

The features of the policy

* Increase in public health spend: The policy proposes an increase in public health expenditure to 4-5% of the GDP from the current 2%

* New model: A proposal to increase public-private partnership to deliver health care needs and services

* A new Act: Similar to the Right to Education, the policy also aims to ensure citizens have right to affordable healthcare

* New focus: The policy aims to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are on the rise. The policy will also look into antibiotic resistance and try to tackle abuse of antibiotics by humans as well as in livestock.

* Health research: The policy promises a boost in health research.

First published: 16 March 2017, 14:17 IST
 
Vishakh Unnikrishnan @sparksofvishdom

A graduate of the Asian College of Journalism, Vishakh tracks stories on public policy, environment and culture. Previously at Mint, he enjoys bringing in a touch of humour to the darkest of times and hardest of stories. One word self-description: Quipster