The Centre after a delay of two years passed the National Health Policy 2015. This health care, like the Obamacare adopted by the USA during Barack Obama’s regime, assures affordable health services to everyone.
The policy, after being in cold storage for two years, has been postponed again from the last two months by the cabinet. This policy covers universal healthcare coverage. It is also aimed at reducing the maternal and infant mortality rate. It makes the medicines and diagnostics free of cost in the public healthcare system in India.
The policy makes it clear that the Centre must modify laws and make them in sync with the healthcare scenario. A senior health ministry officer said, “The green signal to the policy is a positive step, and we are hopeful that it will help improve the healthcare system significantly.”
The Highlights of NHP 2015:
- It increases the amount spent on public health. The policy drafted says that public health expenditure will be increased from 1% of the GDP to 2.5%.
- Public Private Partnership: There will also be a pressure on increasing and building more public and private healthcare facilities to increase services.
- National Health Rights Act: Like the Right to Education, this policy is set with the goal of providing health to all.
- Health Research: This policy gives importance to the health research and which means it will provide huge support to the research on improving health in the country.
- NonCommunicable Diseases: There is also focus on the increase of NonCommunicable Diseases and related death. It focuses mainly on how to tackle these diseases.
