A New Health Policy has been formulated for ensuring universal and comprehensive health care nation wide for which adequate funding would be made available to the states. Union Health Minister Shri J.P. Nadda stated this while speaking as a Chief Guest in a review meeting of Health Department of Himachal Pradesh, here today.He said the Government was going for universal free health screening for six diseases including hypertension and cancer. This scheme will be initially launched in 100 districts of the country. The screening will help in detection and diagnosis of chronic diseases. 'Test and Treat" scheme for HIV patients would also be a component of New Health Policy, he added.He said India has geared up to provide world class health care facilities to its citizens. The government has been providing best mother and child care facilities to women in the country. The government has been taking care of two crore of pregnant mothers every year by providing them free medical treatment in government hospitals. He asked the Doctors to prescribe generic medicines which were mandatory by law. He also stressed upon the need to enhance communication with the patients so that every patient went satisfied from the Hospital. He said AIIMS would be set up soon in the State. He complimented the State for better health indicators in spite of topographic problems in the State.
While presiding over the meeting, Health & Family Welfare Minister Shri Kaul Singh Thakur said the State was committed to improve the health of its people, implementing national health programs and schemes as per the health policy mandate. He said the health indicators of Himachal Pradesh were better than other big states in the country. Total fertility rate is 1.7 against national average of 2.3, infant mortality rate is 28 which is 37 in India and under 5 child mortality rate is 33 against national rate of 43. He said the State has fixed the target of TB elimination by 2025. Chief Minister has recently announced a scheme "Mukhya Mantri Kshaya Rog Nivaran Yojna" and working on the same in a mission mode, he added.Shri Thakur informed that presently the construction on 651 Health Institutions was in progress, out of which 117 buildings were complete. As many as 23 new Civil Hospitals, 36 Community Health Centres, 103 Primary Health Centres and 34 Sub Centres were opened during last four years in the State, said the Minister. 394 medicines and 569 components had been selected under essential drug list. 2505 posts had been created to operationalize the new health institutions and given appointments to 825 Medical Officers and 426 Staff Nurses besides appointing 356 Pharmacists, 92 Women Health Workers, 74 Lab Assistants, 59 Operation Theatre Assistants and 8 physiotherapists during the same period, informed the Minister.
Shri Thakur urged the Union Health Minister for providing liberal funding to the State for strengthening & improvement of infrastructure in health institutions and new institutions. He said the Trauma Centre in IGMC was of level one and expected the same status for Tanda also. He also urged to sanction 9 more trauma centres for the State for which case had already been sent. He said the budget in National Health Mission was Rs. 214 crore in 2013-14 which has now been decreased to Rs. 177 crore that should be enhanced for implementation of various programmes. He also demanded more funds in TB programme under special category state. He requested for four more CBNAAT machines for DDU Shimla, CH Nurpur, CH Paonta Sahib and CHC Nalagarh. He also asked to provide Rs. 5 crore for TBS Dharampur.Health Minister said Himachal was the first State to establish State Health Commission in 2014 which was aimed at to ensure individual care and public health. He said incentive worth Rs. 15.60 crore were given to Ashas during 2016-17. He informed new PG policy had been notified and the State was launching National Health Protection Scheme for all the families shortly. People living with HIV would be brought under Antyodaya Ann Yojna, added he. Earlier, Principal Secretary Health Shri Prabodh Saxena, while welcoming the Ministers, said despite constraints, the health sector had transformed very rapidly. He asked CMOs and Medical Officers for strict implementation of all health schemes viz-a-viz their timely reporting and accurate surveys. He asked for cent percent immunization and stress on maximum institutional deliveries.Director Health Dr. Baldev Thakur presented the vote of thanks.Director National Health Mission Pankaj Rai, Director Health Safety & Regulation Captain Raman, CMOs of all Districts, BMOs and other Medical Officers attended the meeting.