Admitting that the healthcare system was “overwhelmed” by inequities, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said the government would provide universal healthcare in the 12th Plan and take steps to ensure free generic drugs at all public health facilities so as to reduce out of pocket expenditure of patients.
“In the 12th Plan, in our attempt to provide universal health care, steps would be taken to provide free generic drugs at all public health facilities for reducing financial burden on the patients,” said Mr. Azad while addressing a National Consultation on “Social determinants of Health” in New Delhi.
About 70 per cent of out-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare in India is on drugs.
Mr. Azad said the healthcare system in itself was an important social determinant and to address the problem of inequity in health care, the government had launched several programmes to provide affordable, accessible and quality healthcare to all, especially the vulnerable sections of society.
The minister vowed to take forward the recommendations on Universal Health Care (UHC) for all as made by a Planning Commission expert group which was set up in 2010 to show the way forward on UHC. The panel recommended public procurement of drugs and free delivery of generics.
The Minister said, “The healthcare system and health status of population is still overwhelmed by inequities related to accessibility and affordability.”
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, while inaugurating the Polio Summit, had also stressed on the need to take forward the concept of universal healthcare.
Keywords: government health care, universal health care, generic drugs
Instead of borrowing generic from private pharmaceutical industry, it
is better to revive I D P L HYDERABAD.And supply the drugs as many as
you can.It is our humble request.Because they are public sector
undertakings at cheaper rates.It's motto is MEDICINE FOR MILLIONS.
Providing the patients with free generic drugs is indeed a relief for
the poor patients. But piece meal initiatives like this, in the
absence of an effective primary health care system that is accessible
and affordable for all, can not really improve the public health
situation in the country. What is really required now is
revitalisation of the primary health care system with peoples
participation from grass root level. Private health care and
pharmaceutical industry must be subjected to a strict regulation.
Interests of the people must prevail over those of the corporates. But
the question is, "do the rulers have the political will to let all
this happen?"
If we suppose for a while the honorary health minister are planning to
facilitate the generic medicine at PHC then is it possible every
medicine will be available there?. I think there will be only four to
five type medicine i.e for itching, wound, sneezing, and fever.Are all
men always suffers from only these disease.it will be effective only
when all type of medicine will be available there. There also should be
provision of finger punching for MBBS doctor to check from being truant
for duty at each PHC.
What about quality control of drugs? How the huge demand of drugs will
be managed? The decision to provide free drugs is good but it is seen
that in many government hospitals, patient has to bought medicine from
outside. This system should be stopped first. This announcement by
health minister looks similar to one of the promise made at the time of
election only.
Govt.providing free generic drug is a good option but ultimately its the doctor who decides what should be prescribed to a patient.you cannot force any doctor to focus on the generic drugs because if a doctor prescibes branded drugs for his own selfish motives ,nothing can be done.Better if the govt.focusses on the availability and strengthning of phc and raising its standard in terms of availability of doctors and healh facilities.
A good initiative ,we feel that present day government's are known only
for coming out with new initiatives .But it's not the matter of bringing
new policies ,the policies has to be implemented in a proper way and the government must enhance their root level administrative monitoring
system so that what ever the new policies that comes out that can be
implemented in an effective manner.Govt can find solution to all socio-
economic problems in the society with the existing old policies
itself,if due care is given regarding implementation of it.
Govt. to provide free generic drugs at public hospitals: Azad- is a good initiative by the government. The cost of medicines can be reduced to the minimum if generic medicines are provided. The prices of medicines are skyrocketing in these days average persons find it very difficult to buy medicine.
Request to planning commission for improvement in HEALTH CARE SECTOR
1. Compulsory services of Doctors & paramedical staff at PHC & in tribal areas at least for 5 years after passing qualifying examination & therafter 1 year after every 5 years practices any location in life.
2. Diagnosis of health care problem from Doctors & Medications from Pharamcy gratuates/Postgraduates will solve lot of problem in this sector. All medicines/ diagnosis should be on line through computer which helps stop wrong practices in medicine field.
3. Motivation require to carry out Research in Health care Management to interprite the finding. Research Fund to be allocated & distributed to research scholors.
4.Disparity between Urban & Rural Health care to be removed by motivating medical & paramedical staff appropriatetly, so that in this area people will be delighted to serve rural & tribal citizen of India.
The initiative of providing universal drugs is not going to make any
significant change. Our PHC are not functioning well. Government have
good programs on planning level but when it comes to implementation,
there is huge difference. Instead of introducing new plans, it will be
better if our government will more focus on implementation part of any
project.
Medicines are more costlier due to behavior pattern of the doctors. Pharma companies do not bother about patients. They spends lot of money on demands of doctors and the amount is recovered from the pocket of patients while the patients have only two choices either undergo the treatment or die.
There are number of doctors who force to pharma companies for arranging their abroad tours, personal necessities and contribution in building up their new clinics/hospitals. Such expenses are exploited from the pocket of patients. Therefore pharma companies should stop fulfilling the doctors demands and must focus on patients' care so that automatically company's image will be up in the market.By pharma companies direct discounts on the pharmacy counter to the patients will be more appreciable rather than fulfilling demands of the greedy doctors.
effective drug policy is need of the hour.here in j&k health care expenditure in maximising every year by almost 100%.and this has become a burden on general public.so our request to union health mister is that in addtion to effective drug policy we also need public servants(doctors) to be banned from clinics in order to improve health care....
A good initiative ,we feel that present day government's are known only
for coming out with new initiatives .But it's not the matter of bringing
new policies ,the policies has to be implemented in a proper way and the government must enhance their root level administrative monitoring
system so that what ever the new policies that comes out that can be
implemented in an effective manner.Govt can find solution to all socio-
economic problems in the society with the existing old policies
itself,if due care is given regarding implementation of it.
What initiatives are taken to improve the quality of medical facility
at the public health delivery institutes? People at the bottom of the
pyramid are forced to consult 'quacks' because of the poor healthcare
facility at PHCs and Sub-Centers, and in most cases they also travel
to nearby towns to get access to proper healthcare services.
As far as affordable medicines are concerned, generic medicines
anyways comes at a price far lower than the branded counterpart, hence
'Free Medicine' should not bring any significant result than burdening
the taxpayers in the long run.
If the Government is so concerned that why is it not asking the pharma
companies to control the MRP of medicines where pharma companies are
giving irrelevant trade schemes like 1+1, 2+1, 9+1, 1+5, etc (on
necessary medicines) which is ultimately borne by the patient.
What is the Government doing about the pharma companies spending
enormous money on influencing doctors to prescribe their brands.
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