Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday said the government would institutionalise a regulatory authority with full powers to oversee enforcement of all-round quality standards and consumer protection under the National Health Assurance Mission (NHAM).
“NHAM is going to be the biggest-ever health outreach with universal health insurance as a strong component. While quantitatively India will leapfrog into a new era, quality should not be compromised. Quality and quantity are not mutually exclusive,” the Minister said in his keynote address here at a two-day national convention on quality in public health.
The Minister said the expert body headed by Professor Ranjit Ray Choudhury had recommended that the NHAM should be accountable to the people for deficiencies in delivery. Safety, effectiveness and positive patient experience would be key concerns, the Minister pointed out.
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He also highlighted the importance of seeking patients’ feedback.