Government to establish 4,000 dialysis centres across the country, says J P Nadda

The government is also working on a National Health Policy that focuses on providing free basic healthcare for people below the poverty line

The Union health minister J P Nadda said that 4,000 dialysis centres across the country would be established. Dialysis is the clinical purification of blood, as a substitute for the normal function of the kidney. The minister also mentioned that the government was working to provide free dialysis for those below the poverty line. This comes at a time when the government is working on a national health policy. The subsidy will be provided by the central government. 

The government is working on a national health policy, where free basic health care for those below the poverty line will be the focus. 

Some states have already invited bids to open dialysis centres in their states. 

The state health department has stirred up a hornet's nest with its recent decision inviting bids to start dialysis centres in 14 state run ruralhospitals in eight districts under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.AndhraPradesh too has been one of the states. NephroPlus will be providing dialysis in 13 towns. Other states like Madhya Pradesh have also floated tendersto set up dialysis centres. The cost ofeach bed in a dialysis unit is around Rs 8 to 10 Lakhs. While Vikram Vuppula,the CEO of NephroPlus, and a dialysis provider that has been teaming up with the Andhra Pradesh state government, is of the opinion that the government ison the right track to provide free dialysis as in other countries, However,there shouldbe rules on the minimum number of beds that each centre in the PPP mode shouldhave. Among theother schemes the government plans to provide healthcare for all is the latestinsurance based scheme wherein BPL families will get support from thegovernment upto Rs 1 Lakh. The Prime Minister announced this scheme onIndependence Day this year, which it plans to implement from the next financial year. A cabinet note is in the making. Thisscheme will be replacing the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana which provides support upto Rs 30,000.