Harsh Vardhan calls for enhanced health spend at washington meet

India's Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan, has told a multilateral forum of health ministers, officials, professionals, NGO heads and United Nations functionaries in Washington that governments should actively involve private sector corporations in ending preventable deaths from happening in their respective countries.

By roping in private entities, governments would benefit much from innovative managerial and technical inputs that they often fail to marshal. Their financial contribution would also add muscle to national health expenditure budgets, he said.

Dr Harsh Vardhan highlighted in this context the recent framing of the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility) Rules, 2014 which makes it mandatory for public and private business houses to earmark two percent of their post-tax profits for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects.

"I think it makes sound business sense for companies to earmark the greatest chunk of their CSR budgets for the goal of saving lives. Their contribution could help reach targets of ending deaths at birth far ahead of government-set deadlines. They could also support endeavours to fighting diseases and finding the right cures. And why not? They would create bigger markets for their products and services in the process. Governments should guide companies to channel their CSR funds to the right beneficiaries," Dr Harsh Vardhan said.

He pointed out that a five dollar increase in per capita health expenditure between now and 2035 in 74 countries could result in saving 147 million child lives, 32 million still births and 5 million maternal deaths at birth.

A strong votary of insurance coverage for all, Dr Harsh Vardhan urged fellow health officials from 24 countries to evolve and implement strategies for universal health coverage to ensure that mothers and children have access to quality preventive, positive, curative and rehabilitation health services.

"There should be minimum out of pocket expenditure. If you underwrite their spending on medicines and care, then it won't be long before you plough the money back through taxes because once freed from the burden of medical bills they will make other purchases which would have the effect of buoying up the economy," he said.

The meeting, held under the theme "Acting on the call-ending preventable child and maternal deaths", was co-hosted by India, the United States, Ethiopia and UNICEF.

Two years ago, the first such meet was held, but the rallying call then was "Call to Action".