(Image source from: Achche din for healthcare coming soon!})
The Center's decision to resuscitate the ailing economy of India by hiking the rail fares might not have gone down well with many. But as the government explains, it had to swallow the “bitter pill” for the sound health of the economy. And the best part, not all is bad news!
In a bid to sweeten the deal for the citizenry now, the Narendra Modi government is painstakingly working to upscale healthcare system in the country. Putting the progress of the country and it's citizens in the top gear and shifting focus to “Swastha Bharat, Ujjwal Bharat” the BJP-led coalition is now trying to revamp the equally debilitated healthcare sector.
Dealing with one of the biggest bottlenecks — the issue of drug prices — the Union government is now focusing to make medicines affordable to people across all income strata. Taking it's first baby-step towards this, the health ministry of India recently revealed that it is planning to make 50 essential generic medicines — from “birth to death”, free for all citizens across the country.
That's right! "Fifty basic essential drugs address 75% of the healthcare needs of the majority, and we plan to make these available free to everyone, from birth to death," Union health minister Harsh Vardhan said in a press interview.
The ministry plans to roll out the programme in phases, starting with selected Indian hospitals first. Once done, the citizens will be entitled to get around 50 different kind of medicines for pain, infection, hypertension, diabetes, among others, complimentary on prescription at public hospitals and dispensaries.
"A standard list of medicines will ensure that for the same amount of money, 35% more medicines of superior quality can be procured to meet the healthcare needs of the majority," said Dr Vardhan.
"The programme will focus on efficient procurement, quality control and rational use – 50% medicines are wasted or overused, leading to complications and drug- resistance," the minister added.
By the by, Dr Vardhan, as the health minister of New Delhi between 1993 and 98, implemented the 'Delhi model' of World Health Organization's "Essential Drug Programme" that formulated an essential drugs list keeping India's healthcare needs in mind.
The Delhi model has been copied in 12 other Indian states and has been promoted as a case study for developing nations by WHO.
"Today, the out-of-pocket expenditure on health is 60% mainly because of two factors, medicines and diagnostics. Providing free medicines coupled with their rational prescription and use will lower cost to patients tremendously," said Ranjit Roy Chaudhury, national professor of pharmacology and chair of the committee for preparing the city's essential medicines list.
AW: Suchorita Choudhury
