Intent and seriousness of any government towards healthcare can be gauged by the spend that it dedicates for it. The current government has increased the overall health budget from Rs 39879 crores to Rs 48878 crores in the Union Budget 2017-18.
A lot has been done, and is being done, in terms of harmonising policies and rules for medical devices industry to encourage local manufacturing which will in turn lower their costs for patients. The Drugs & Cosmetics Act has been modified to
promote generics and reduce the cost of medicines. New AIIMS are being set up. Short-term and medium-term targets have been set up to reduce the maternal mortality and infant mortality rates drastically. Action plans have been prepared to eradicate diseases like leprosy by 2018, measles by 2020 and TB by 2025.
What’s more, the Indian government has approved the National Health Policy 2017 which provides policy framework for achieving universal health coverage. It has plans to set up a single window clearance system to encourage innovation in medical research. Government has also come up with Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) to enhance immunisation coverage in the country and reach every child under two years and scores of pregnant women who have not been a part of the regular immunisation programme.
The government has also been empowering citizens to access healthcare services using mobile and Internet besides bringing more and more people under the health insurance net. Under the Digital India Mission, the government has initiated digitisation of government hospitals and launched a National Health Portal as well for easy accessibility of quality healthcare to the masses. Various mobile apps like NHP Indradhanush, NHP Swasth Bharat and Mera Aspatal have been launched by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
However, one of the biggest achievements of the current government has been to encourage PPP projects in the healthcare space. Indo UK Institute of Health (IUIH) is the largest PPP project that will come up with 11 integrated IUIH Medicities in 11 Indian states with an investment of `17600 crores, benefitting 400 million Indians. It was included as a commercial announcement in the Joint Statement during Prime Minister’s visit to the UK in November 2015.
We are working towards building a capacity of 11000 beds, 5000 doctors, 25000 nurses and generate direct and indirect employment for over 300000 Indians. Around 20 per cent patients will be given free treatment at IUIH facilities. We will bring in all major specialities and treatments; provide outreach programmes to rural and semi-urban areas; develop digital health initiatives by providing remote consultations, advice and monitoring; connect with local doctors and nursing homes; and deliver medical education, training and research to increase the number of skilled medical professionals.
Within two years of IUIH programme being announced, MoUs have been signed with eight state governments, land areas have been identified in six states, land has been acquired in three states, foundation stones have been laid in two states and construction work has started in one of the states. A bilateral India and UK task force involving government representatives is helping drive the initiative forward.
Clearly, if we desire to do something for India, the time is now for we have a progressive PM at the helm. It is his dynamism and vision that drove me to think of a venture of this scale and magnitude.