New Delhi, Feb 28: Long persisting inequities and development lag in districts will be targetted through National Health Mission (NHM)’s Health and Wellness Centres, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda announced on Tuesday.
Chairing the 5th meeting of the Mission Steering Group of the National Health Mission (NHM) here on Tuesday, Mr Nadda said the Health and Wellness Centres, which would be set up under the NHM, were expected to provide ‘preventive, promotive, rehabilitative and curative care for a package of 12 services.”
He told the meeting that NHM was vital to supporting the states in improving their health systems. The Prime Minister’s announcement of heightened focus on the aspirational districts ‘provides us with significant leverage point to address long persisting inequities and development lag in these districts. This will be strengthened through NHM.’
The minister, who was updated about the progress under NHM, was informed that under NHM-Free Drug Service initiative, funds were being provided to states/UTs for provision of free drugs in public health facilities and setting up of IT-backed systems for drug procurement and quality assurance. Currently all 36 states/UTs have notified policy to provide essential drugs free of cost in public health facilities. Under NHM Free Diagnostics Service Initiative, substantial funding is provided to states within their resource envelope to provide free essential diagnostic services at public health facilities.
The programme had been rolled out in 29 states/UTs which are providing free diagnostic Services either in-house or in PPP mode.
Congratulating the Health Ministry for the progress on Millennium Development Goals, especially in terms of IMR, MMR, U5MR and HIV/AIDS, Hardeep S Puri, Union Minister of State (independent charge) assured full cooperation to the Health Ministry for overall development of the new aspirational districts.
The MSG of the NHM discussed various agenda points including enhancement of reach, outlay and
facilities within components of the NHM, Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis, Immunization, Comprehensive Primary Health Care, Newer Intervention under Revised National TB Control Programme with respect to Patient’s Support and Private Sector Involvement andcapacity building of health workers among others. Suggestions were also made by other members of the MSG.
Mr Nadda stated that the meeting offered a valuable and useful platform for candid discussion on several issues, and a wider perspective from a wide section of experts which will enable to enhance quality and effectiveness of the NHM. The suggestions would be taken into consideration to guide the roadmap on interventions to be taken up, he assured.
MoS Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Anupriya Patel, Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, and Health Secretary Preeti Sudan and other senior officers of the Health Ministry were also present at the meeting. Representatives from Ministries of AYUSH, Tribal Affairs, WCD, Drinking Water and Sanitation, Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, Urban development, Department of Higher Education, Social Justice and Empowerment attended the meeting, along with experts in the field of healthcare, an official release here said.
