Accessible health care services to be bedrock of policy: Nadda

The new National Health Policy proposes to build healthcare services on the "bedrock" of high quality comprehensive primary health care services which is universally accessible and provided as close to where people live and work, Rajya Sabha was told today.
"The draft National Health Policy 2015 envisages health care service being built on the bedrock of high quality comprehensive primary health care services that are universally accessible, free and provided as close to where people live and work, as is feasible," Health Minister J P Nadda said in a written reply.
He said that as per the per Economic Survey 2014-15, the expenditure by the governments - both central and states - combined on health as percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2014-15 (BE) is 1.2 per cent.

"As per 12th Five Year Plan document, total public funding by the centre and states - plan and non-plan - on core health is envisaged to increase to 1.87 per cent of GDP by the end of the 12th Plan.
"When viewed in the perspective of the broader health sector, the total government expenditure as a proportion of GDP is envisaged to increase to 2.5 per cent by the end of the 12th Plan," he said.
Replying to another question, Nadda said the National Injury Surveillance Centre set up recently at PGIMER, RML Hospital in New Delhi has started functioning.

He said that Supreme Court has directed Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and Ministry of Law and Justice to issue the requisite guidelines for protection of "Good Samaritans" (person helping the injured in road accidents in consultation with each other) and accordingly, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is seized with the matter.
"National Injury Surveillance Centre has been set up recently at PGIMER, RML Hospital New Delhi under Scheme of Capacity Building for developing trauma care facilities in government hospitals on national highways.
"This Injury Surveillance Centre meant for recording data on various parameters of injury/trauma has started functioning," Nadda said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.