Mission indradhanush Archives - InnoHEALTH magazine

Global Aid Cuts and India’s Vaccination Challenges

Khushi Khandelwal — Tue, 20 May 2025 10:30:00 +0000

Akhter Rasool

Vaccination programs are among the most effective public health interventions, significantly reducing child mortality and curbing the spread of infectious diseases. Vaccines work by stimulating the body’s immune system to build protection against pathogens, thereby lowering the risk of infection and severe illness. Immunization stands as a global health success story—according to the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccines prevent an estimated 3.5 to 5 million deaths annually from diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, influenza, and measles. Beyond individual protection, widespread vaccination fosters herd immunity, safeguarding vulnerable populations who cannot be vaccinated due to medical reasons. As a cornerstone of primary health care, immunization is not only a fundamental human right but also one of the most cost-effective health investments.

However, sustaining high vaccination coverage is critical to preventing disease resurgence and addressing emerging health threats. Despite these successes, recent funding cuts and rising vaccine skepticism threaten to undermine decades of progress. For instance, the United States has significantly reduced its aid programs, and the United Kingdom is considering similar funding reductions. These cuts could have far-reaching consequences, particularly for low-income regions that rely heavily on external support. Many global vaccination programs, including those supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance—a public-private global health partnership aimed at increasing immunization access in low-income countries—are now facing significant funding shortfalls.

Developing countries, including India, rely heavily on financial support from organizations such as Gavi, the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF for vaccine procurement and immunization campaigns. However, wealthy nations have reduced their contributions to global vaccination efforts. For example, the UK has cut aid to Gavi and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), which has directly impacted vaccine distribution in countries like India. Global economic challenges, including the post-COVID-19 slowdown, the Ukraine war, and rising inflation, have further strained foreign aid budgets. As a result, more funds are being diverted toward pandemic preparedness rather than routine immunization.

Low-income countries often face significant hurdles in vaccine procurement and distribution. India, in particular, has a dual role: protecting its own population while serving as a global vaccine supplier. India is a global leader in vaccine production, home to major manufacturers like the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech. The country also runs one of the world’s largest immunization programs, Mission Indradhanush, which covers millions of children and pregnant women. However, funding constraints may hinder its expansion. Although India’s National Health Policy 2017 aims to increase public health spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2025, the 2024-25 budget allocated only about 2.1% of GDP to health, which is lower than many other countries.

India’s role as a global vaccine hub is undeniable, but the pace of new vaccine development is slow due to limited research and development (R&D) funding. Challenges such as funding shortages, vaccine hesitancy, and logistical issues could impede disease control efforts. Reduced global funding affects India’s ability to procure vaccines for diseases like polio and measles, especially in remote regions. Developing a new vaccine is a costly endeavor, ranging from 100 million to 500 million per vaccine, and India’s current funding for vaccine R&D is insufficient. This lack of funding translates to fewer vaccine outreach programs and delays in the rollout of new vaccines, such as those for HPV (to prevent cervical cancer), dengue, and tuberculosis (TB).

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has also faced funding reductions, impacting India’s polio surveillance efforts. Additionally, India is grappling with rising cases of dengue and malaria, exacerbated by climate change. While Dengvaxia, a dengue vaccine, exists, its use is limited. Emerging threats, such as the mpox (monkeypox) outbreak, further underscore the need for robust vaccination campaigns. Although India has reported low mpox cases, ongoing surveillance is critical given the global spread of the disease.

The high cost of vaccines often results in lower coverage among low-income populations, increasing the risk of outbreaks for diseases such as measles, rubella, and diphtheria. This raises a critical question: Can India sustain its global vaccine supply amidst funding cuts and geopolitical challenges?

To address these challenges, several strategies can be considered. Private companies like the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech may require government subsidies to scale up vaccine production. Long-term funding agreements with organizations such as WHO, Gavi, and UNICEF could ensure vaccine affordability. Additionally, tapping into corporate social responsibility (CSR) funding from Indian pharmaceutical giants could provide a sustainable financial model. For example, Gavi’s partnership with African nations to ensure polio vaccine affordability could serve as a blueprint for India’s efforts to combat measles and HPV.

Improving cold chain logistics is another critical area. India’s “eVIN” (Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network) has already enhanced vaccine tracking and cold storage in rural areas, but further investments are needed. Introducing new vaccines into national programs, such as government-funded HPV and dengue vaccines, could help eliminate these diseases.

While India faces significant challenges in sustaining its vaccination programs, strategic investments, international collaborations, and innovative funding mechanisms can help mitigate the impact of global aid cuts. By addressing these issues, India can continue to protect its population and maintain its vital role as a global vaccine supplier.

Author’s biography

Akhter Rasool is a veterinarian and researcher.

The post Global Aid Cuts and India’s Vaccination Challenges appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.

Digital Safety Plan for Children

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 07:06:31 +0000

A digital safety plan for children being leveraged; zero tolerance towards violence against children need of the hour.

Fresh from her experience in managing emergency situations, Dr. Yasmin Ali Haque smilingly handles the tsunami of problems as UNICEF’s Representative in India, lying next to her home Bangladesh.

She says UNICEF is working closely with the government in developing a comprehensive plan on digital safety for children. Digital literacy is key to ensuring that all boys and all girls stay informed, engaged and safe online. There is a need to galvanize the ‘zero tolerance’ towards violence against children. In a detailed interview to InnoHEALTH magazine, she answered a wide range of questions and elaborated at length, UNICEF’s programmes in India where the safety of children is emerging as a major concern.

Dr. Yasmin had joined as the UNICEF Representative in India in July last year and prior to that, she was Deputy Director of UNICEF’s Office of Emergency Operations where she played a leading role in the programming and policies for an effective UNICEF response for children in humanitarian crisis. She started her career in UNICEF in 1996 and held many appointments in challenging situations.

Also Read: 10 Latest Healthcare Innovations

[vc_single_image image=”4549″ img_size=”150×150″ alignment=”center” onclick=”link_image”]

Q. UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and strives to establish children’s rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behavior towards children. UNICEF responds in emergencies to protect the rights of children. What are your views are the steps that can be taken to protect children from violence and to ensure their safety?

One important facet of the rights of CRC is to ensure that children grow in a protective and safe environment, free of any kind of violence and abuse. Preventing and responding to sexual violence requires strong collaboration among stakeholders from diverse walks of life. UNICEF is committed to working with the government, civil society organizations, corporates, media and all the other stakeholders to support society and families to ensure that children are safe and free from abuse and exploitation. Guided by the CRC, it is imperative to act now to break the cycle of violence against children and protect survivors of violence.

In recent years, India has made significant progress in addressing sexual abuse against children by having enacted legislation and acted on a large number of cases. The public has also become increasingly aware of sexual abuse cases that may have gone unnoticed years ago due to an increase in reporting on the issue. Digital media and immediate reporting have also contributed to this awareness. Still, a lot more needs to be done. Building on these positive developments, UNICEF collaborates with partners to enhance awareness of children and parents by focussing on the following stakeholders:

Teachers and school authorities: Sexual violence in schools is a major area of concern. Schools should provide information on safety to children and online safety guidelines can be included in the curriculum. Schools also need to ensure that teachers are aware of the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
Children: Child-led initiatives empower children to become advocates of change, voice their demands and take leadership in the change itself. Listening to children is also key as they can become vital stakeholders in their own safety. Decisionmakers, including parents and teachers, should listen to children so that their views can be incorporated into policies.
Civil society organizations, including faith-based and community-based organizations, can engage consistently with the communities and share with them important information around the need to protect children from any kind of violence and abuse and co-create local solutions.
Media, both traditional and digital, plays a vital role in disseminating information, mobilizing public opinion and building a discourse around the issue of child safety. Effective use of digital technology for creating further awareness on child safety is another platform that is being leveraged. We need to ensure that all children, every girl, and boy, no matter where they live or what their background is, benefit from the learning opportunities and connectivity that the digital world can provide. However, along with the benefits that digital technology provides, it has also put young people at risk of harm online, including abuse, exploitation, trafficking and cyberbullying.

Q. UNICEF has recently launched a report called ‘Every Child ALIVE’ focusing on the number of newborn deaths in the country. Has India made any progress in curbing the under-five mortality?

India has shown 66% reduction in the under-five mortality rate between 1990 and 2015, nearly meeting its Millennium Development Goal 4 target. This is much higher than the global decline of 55% during the same period. This progress has been due to a holistic approach to health programming for children. However, the progress has been slower for new-borns and has also been inequitable between boys and girls, with the under-five mortality rate for girls currently being 11% higher, at 41 per 1000 as against 37 per 1000 for boys.

Q. Why are more girls dying in India than boys?

Girls have the advantage of being biologically stronger, yet sadly they are extremely vulnerable socially. The discrimination begins even before they are born. Though the gender gap has started shrinking due to the fast decline of mortality for girls as compared to boys in the recent years, the gap still remains high in many states. The neglect of the girl child is a much broader issue and needs interventions beyond health to address the social norms and cultural practices that act as barriers to bridging the gender gap. It will require working at both the policy level for creating an enabling environment. And at the community level, to build awareness and bring emphasis to the value of the girl child. It will also need increased investments in the availability of gender-disaggregated data for more informed planning.

Q. Please share with us some details about the immunization campaign in India.

Immunisation is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions that currently averts an estimated 2 to 3 million child deaths globally every year. India has one of the largest immunization programmes in the world, in terms of a number of beneficiaries, geographical coverage, and quantities of vaccines used, with nearly 26 million new-borns targeted for immunization annually. However, despite this effort, only 65% of the children in India receive full immunization during the first year of their life.

This translates to 9 million children not fully protected against preventable diseases such as Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Measles and Preventable pneumonia. To address this issue, Government of India, with the support of UNICEF, WHO, and other partners, has launched Mission Indradhanush to achieve 90% immunization coverage by the end of 2018. UNICEF is also supporting the government for the strategic communication activities on immunization, in order to create further awareness on the need for complete immunization as well as create a discourse on the value of vaccines.

Q. What is the Measles-Rubella Vaccine Campaign and why do we need it?

The Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine has been introduced as part of the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) in India to protect children from two diseases, Measles and Rubella, which have high mortality and morbidity respectively. Measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children. It is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus and spreads by coughing and sneezing. It reduces the immunity of the child, making a child vulnerable to life-threatening complications such as pneumonia, diarrhea and infection in the brain. Hence, the burden of diarrhea and pneumonia can also be indirectly reduced by eliminating Measles.

Rubella, although a mild viral illness, can lead to serious consequences if pregnant women are infected during early pregnancy. It can result in miscarriages, stillbirths and a set of congenital anomalies in the foetus and new-borns known as Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS), which is a cause of public health concern. CRS is characterized by multiple defects, particularly affecting the eyes (glaucoma, cataract), ears (hearing loss), brain (microcephaly, mental retardation) and heart defects – many of which are lifelong disabilities, requiring treatment, surgeries and other expensive care throughout life. Hence, it is important to eliminate these diseases. The MR vaccine is provided free of cost under the campaign.

Q. What is the burden of Measles-Rubella in India and globally?

According to WHO estimates, an estimated 1.34 lakh deaths were caused globally by Measles in 2015. Measles and related complications killed an estimated 49,200 children in 2015 in India, contributing nearly 36% to the global figures. An estimated 84% of the global decline in Measles deaths from 2000 to 2016 was due to Measles vaccination. In 2010, an estimated 1.03 lakh children were born with Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) globally, of which an estimated 40,000 children were born with CRS in India.

The Government of India has resolved to eliminate Measles and control Rubella. The Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign is an important step in that direction. Measles immunization directly contributes to the reduction of under-five child mortality. UNICEF is a key partner in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s rollout of the ongoing Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign, which is now in its third phase and has vaccinated 7.7 crore children in 16 states till date (3 April 2018). The MR Campaign targets around 41 crore children, making it one of the largest ever immunization campaign of its kind. It aims to eliminate Measles and control Rubella by 2020. The vaccine has already been rolled out in several states and will soon be launched in Assam, Haryana, and Punjab.

Q. How safe is the Measles-Rubella vaccine?

The Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine is a safe and cost-effective vaccine that has been available for the past 40 years. The presently used vaccine is a WHO-prequalified vaccine and is licensed by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization of India. As many as 165 WHO member countries provide Measles second dose in their national immunization programme. The Rubella vaccine has been introduced in 159 countries. India, along with 10 other member countries of South East Asia region of WHO, has resolved to eliminate Measles and control Rubella and Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) by 2020.

The surveillance of Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI) is an integral part of the MR vaccination campaign. AEFI management kit is provided at all vaccination session sites including schools so that immediate response can be initiated following an AEFI.

The Government of India has recently amended AEFI management protocol. Now Adrenalin injection is part of each AEFI kit, which is life-saving in case of anaphylaxis. Both public and private sector medical practitioners and health workers are trained prior to MR campaign to handle such adverse events.

The post Digital Safety Plan for Children appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.

An Interaction with J.P. Nadda on Health Plan

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Mon, 14 May 2018 10:23:03 +0000

World’s Largest Health Scheme Unspooled in India

Apparently bracing up to showcase India’s achievements in Health Sector management during general elections due within a year and a half, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, who recently hogged limelight during mega health plan announced in the Union Budget 2018-19, and also played prominent role in the ruling party activities at the national and states’ level, says the NDA government is committed to advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda. World Health Organisation Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has recently said that India should have UHC.

In an interaction with InnoHEALTH magazine, the Minister asserts that the government would herald a new era of healthcare and the plan announced in the Union Budget would be implemented with full sincerity. It will take a few months to roll out all nitty-gritty’s of implementation. He dismisses apprehensions of those sceptical of the plan in wake of massive funds required for the implementation of the world’s largest healthcare plan. There would be no laxity in the successful implementation of the scheme and it had nothing to do with elections but it is a well-thought-out plan to ensure holistic healthcare to common people. Massive machinery has started churning out plans to bring the scheme to the ground reality. Informatively, a plan to provide health coverage to 50 crore people has been proposed in the current budget 2018-19 and is being viewed as a precursor to the UHC.

WHO’s definition of UHC — one of the goals of sustainable development — includes financial risk protection (against medical expenses), access to quality essential health care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.

The National Health Policy 2017 approved last year envisages the attainment of the highest possible level of health without anyone having to face financial hardship as a consequence. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) has taken concrete steps to reduce the Out of Pocket Expenditure (OOPE).

Mission Indradhanush launched in 2014 which was one of the largest global public health initiatives. In its four phases till date, Mass Immunisation (MI) has successfully reached over 25 million children in over 528 Districts. The focus is also on increasing the basket of vaccines. Since 2014, Rotavirus vaccine, Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV), and the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine, and also the JE vaccine for adults have been launched.

Under Pradhan Mantri Dialysis Program (PMDP) 1.43 lakh patients have availed free services from 1,069 Dialysis Units and also under Free Drugs and Diagnostics Program; Affordable Medicine and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) outlets nearly 47 lakh patients have benefitted and through the purchase of subsidized medicines from AMRIT Pharmacies.

To provide comprehensive primary care, the Government has announced of transforming 1.5 lakh sub-health centres to Health and Wellness centres i.e. MoHFW is now moving towards the provision of comprehensive primary care through the Health and Wellness Centres.

The MoHFW has initiated universal screening of common Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension and common cancers at the sub-centre and Primary Health Centre (PHC), which will enable the strengthening of preventive and promotive health, improve patient referral and access to secondary care.

Excerpts

Q. Please share some major highlights of 2017 in promoting health initiatives?

I am proud to say that there have been several achievements. Few on top of my mind are—Release of the new National Health Policy 2017 after a gap of 15 years, the Passing of HIV & AIDS (Prevention & Control) Act, 2017, the Cabinet approves the Mental Healthcare Act 2017, and the most recent National Medical Commission Bill, 2017.

Besides these policy and legislature decisions, the MoHFW launched some major health initiatives. Starting with the most recent National Nutrition Mission 2017 with Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD), the intensified Mission Indradhanush. After the success of MI, the annual rate of increase of full immunisation coverage has increased from 1% to 6.7 % during the two rounds. We increased the basket of Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) with the introduction of new vaccines i.e. Rotavirus vaccine, MR vaccine and the PCV.

The PMSMA (Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan) has helped detect more than 5 lakh high-risk pregnancies. Similarly, MoHFWs Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) has screened 11.7 crore children, 43.4 lakh children were referred to secondary tertiary facilities, 27.8 lakh children availed services in secondary tertiary facilities. The MoHFW also launched the Mission Parivar Vikas (MPV) in 146 Districts of 7 states for substantially increasing the access to contraceptives and family planning services in Districts with Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 3 and above.

The MoHFW announced transformation of sub-health centres to Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) to expand the basket of services of primary care to make it comprehensive. The HWCs are expected to provide preventive, promotive, rehabilitative and curative care for a package of services related to reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCH+A), communicable diseases, non- communicable diseases, ophthalmology, ENT, dental, mental, geriatric care, treatment for acute simple medical conditions and emergency and trauma services. In addition, the recently launched population-based Screening of Diabetes, Hypertension and Common Cancers (Oral, Breast & Cervical) represents a massive step in identifying and addressing the risk factors at the community level itself. More than 150 Districts are taking up in 2017-18.

There are global achievements in terms of India being declared Infective Trachoma free. The MoHFW has also signed MoUs with Italy, Morocco and Cuba.

Q. What challenges did you aim to achieve next year?

Provisioning UHC and to restrict the growing burden of Non – Communicable Diseases. We have initiatives in place to manage both.

Q. How to address the fund crunch issue?

There is no fund crunch. In 2017-18 Union Budget, the health allocation was increased by 27.7%. The MoHFW is committed to 2.5% of GDP to healthcare in a phased manner under the National Health Policy 2017. So I don’t foresee any fund crunch.

Q. Your comments on private sector role in healthcare? Is their contribution satisfies you?

Private sector engagement is a part of new National Health Policy 2017 for a reason. They have a very significant and important contribution to the country’s health services landscape. In terms of real-time support, we are satisfied with their contribution to the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) and provisioning dialysis services through PPP under the Pradhan Mantri Dialysis Program.

Q. Please throw light on Universal Health Coverage initiatives?
There are several, however, I can list a few:-

• In 2017-18, the MoHFW announced transformation of subhealth Centres to Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) to expand the basket of services of primary care to make it comprehensive. The HWCs are expected to provide Preventive, Promotive, Rehabilitative and Curative Care for a package of services related to RMNCH+A, Communicable diseases, Non-Communicable Diseases, Ophthalmology, ENT, Dental, Mental, Geriatric Care, treatment for acute simple medical conditions and emergency and trauma services. The indicative package of services envisaged is

a. Care in pregnancy and childbirth
b. Neonatal and infant health care services
c. Childhood and adolescent health care services
d. Family planning, contraceptive services and other Reproductive Healthcare services
e. Management of Communicable diseases: National Health Programmes
f. Management of Common Communicable Diseases and General Out-Patient care for acute simple illnesses and minor ailments
g. Screening and management of Non-Communicable diseases
h. Screening and basic management of mental health ailments
i. Care for common Ophthalmic and ENT problems
j. Provision of basic dental health care
k. Geriatric and palliative health care services
l. Trauma Care and Emergency Medical Services

The Health and Wellness Centre (H&WC) will deliver comprehensive primary healthcare using a team-based approach and would be led by a mid-level service provider with a primary healthcare team including ANMs, ASHAs, and AWWs, of the sub-centre area. Altogether, 4000 sub-centres are targeted to be transformed to HWCs by March 2018 and 1.25 lakh HWCs by March 2022. So far approval has given for 3871 HWCs.

• National Programme for Prevention & Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS)— -In order to prevent and control major NCDs, the MoHFW is implementing the NPCDCS in all states across the country with the focus on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, health promotion, early diagnosis, management and referral. As on date, the programme is under implementation in total 436 Districts, with setting up of NCD clinics in 435 District Hospitals, and 2145 Community Health Centres. Cardiac Care Units have been set up in total 138 Districts and Day Care Centres for Cancer Chemotherapy have been set up in 84 Districts. Provision has been made under the programme to provide free diagnostic facilities and free drugs for NCD patients attending the clinics at the District and CHC levels.

• Population-based screening for Diabetes, Hypertension and Common Cancer (Oral, Breast & Cervical)—The recently launched Population-based Screening of Diabetes, Hypertension and Common Cancers represents a massive step in identifying and addressing the risk factors at the community level itself.

More than 150 Districts are being taken up during 2017-18. As of September 2017, approvals given for about 170 Districts in 16309 sub-centres and screening has been initiated in about 60 Districts, 12 states, 2 UTs and 20,15,474 people have been screened.

Q. How the Ministry ensures safe pregnancy in rural/remote and tribal areas where access to hospitals is not that easy?
The issue focuses on our entire Reproductive Child Health (RCH) programme and National Health Mission To list a few viz.-
a. Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)
b. Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK)
c. HBNC/HBIC (Home-Based Neonatal Care/Infant Care)
d. National Ambulance Service (108/104)
e. Tribal Birthing/Waiting Homes
f. Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)

Q. What message do you want to share with the community in their fight against dengue and chikungunya?

I want to focus solely on prevention viz. preventing water logging around the house. And other measures which we keep reiterating through our regular Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns. This requires community partnership and ownership.

Q.8. What has been the status of constructing of new AIIMS across the country?

The Government has been at the forefront to strengthen the tertiary care. As such six new AIIMS are functioning and six will come up in due course.

Q. Pl throw light on MoU signed with Morocco. What will be the major gains?
The main areas of cooperation include the following:
a. Non-communicable diseases, including child cardiovascular diseases and cancer
b. Drug Regulation and Pharmaceutical quality control
c. Communicable Diseases
d. Maternal, child and neonatal health
e. Hospital twinning for the exchange of good practices
f. Training in administration and management of health services and Hospitals
Q. Generic medicines: How to address availability issue?

The MoHFW recently issued a draft gazette notification making it mandatory for Pharma companies to carry the generic name of drugs on packs that are at least two fonts larger than the brand name. This clause will be a legal provision as a rule under the existing Drugs and Cosmetics Act. And any violation will be punishable under the provisions of the law. The Ministry has sought public comments on the draft, after which it is likely to become part of the drug law.

Also, issued orders to the Medical Council of India (MCI), state governments and all central government hospitals asking them to ensure that doctors write prescriptions with generic names of medicines in legible handwriting.

In last three years, the government has capped prices of around 700 essential medicines. It has also capped prices of stents and is working to make drugs for critical diseases like cancer and heart disorders available through various schemes. It has also launched several programmes to make free drugs and diagnostics available under the National Health Mission.

Also, our AMRIT stores provision generic drugs. 19 states have set 105 pharmacies for providing medicines for Diabetes, CVD, Cancer and other diseases at discounted prices to the patients. A total of more than 5000 drugs and other consumables are selling at up to 50% discounts.

As of 15th November 2017, 44.54 lakh patients benefitted from AMRIT pharmacies. The value of drug dispensed at MRP is Rs 417.73 crore and savings of Rs. 231.34 crore from AMRIT stores thereby reducing theirs out of pocket expenditure.

Q. Doctors’ shortage: What measures should be put in place to address the concern?

• The MoHFW has granted permission for the establishment of 83 new medical colleges in the last 3 years including 31 in the government sector. The country has today 479 medical colleges with more than 67,000 MBBS seats.

• The Ministry has taken various measures to facilitate the setting up of new colleges viz.

a. norms for medical colleges rationalized
b. urban areas have dispensed with the minimum area of land within notified
c. Companies have to allowed to set up medical colleges.

• The MoHFW is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely “Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals”

• Under this Scheme, 58 Districts in 20 States/UT has identified to establish new Medical Colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals. Out of these, 56 have been approved to date.

• Out of 56 approved medical colleges, 8 are functional and 29 have applied for MCI’s permission to start new medical colleges from the academic year 2018-19.

• The increase of PG seats:

• In January 2017 the teacher-student ratio was revised in government medical colleges in clinical subjects and consequently around 3,000 PG seats added as a one-time measure.

• In the normal course of permission under IMC Act added 700 seats. Combined with the increase of DNB seats, the ministry could achieve an increase of nearly 5800 PG seats in 2017.

• The country has today around 38,000 PG seats including Diplomate of National Board (DNB).

Q. Please throw light on Mental Healthcare Act, 2016. What steps the did government plan to create awareness on this?

• The Act adopts a rights-based statutory framework for mental health in India and strengthens equality and equity in the provision of mental healthcare services in order to protect the rights of people with the mental health problem to ensure that they are able to receive optimum care and are able to live a life of dignity and respect.

• Mental Healthcare Act strengthens the institutional mechanisms for improving access quality and appropriate mental health care services.

• The Act increases accountability of both government and private sectors in the delivery of mental health care with the representation of persons with the mental health problem and their caregivers in statutory authorities such as Central and State Mental Health Authority.

• The most progressive features of the Act are the provision of advance directive, nominated a representative, special clause for women and children related to admission, treatment, sanitation and personal hygiene; restriction on the use of Electro-Convulsive Therapy and Psychosurgery.

• Decriminalization of suicide is another significant facet of the Act, which will ensure proper management of severe stress as a precursor for suicide attempts.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley recently has announced two major initiatives in the health sector, as part of Ayushman Bharat programme. This is aimed at making path-breaking interventions to address health holistically in primary, secondary and tertiary care systems, covering both prevention and health promotion.

THE INITIATIVES ARE AS FOLLOWS:-

(i) Health and Wellness Centre:- The National Health Policy, 2017 has envisioned Health and Wellness Centres as the foundation of India’s health system. Under this 1.5 lakh centres will bring healthcare system closer to the homes of people. These centres will provide comprehensive healthcare, including for non-communicable diseases and maternal and child health services.

These centres will also provide free essential drugs and diagnostic services. The Budget has allocated Rs. 1200 crore for this flagship programme. In adopting these centres is also envisages the contribution of the private sector through CSR and philanthropic institutions.

(ii) National Health Protection Scheme:- The second flagship programme under Ayushman Bharat is National Health Protection Scheme, which will cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore beneficiaries) providing coverage up to 5 lakh rupees per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization. This will be the world’s largest government-funded healthcare programme. Adequate funds will be provided for smooth implementation of this programme.

In order to further enhance the accessibility of quality medical education and healthcare, 24 new Government Medical Colleges and Hospitals will be set up, . This would ensure that there is at least 1 Medical College for every 3 Parliamentary Constituencies and at least 1 Government Medical College in each state of the country.

Want to write for InnoHEALTH? send us your article at magazine@innovatiocuris.com

The post An Interaction with J.P. Nadda on Health Plan appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.