Centre to bring package of medicines, testing facilities

Union Health Minister Harshwardhan today said here that the Centre was working on National Health Assurance Mission, under which a package of medicines and testing facilities will be provided.
"As desired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Health Ministry is working on National Health Assurance Mission under which a package will be offered to the poor," he told reporters.
The package will comprise 50 medicines covering 95 per cent of common diseases and facilities for necessary medical examinations and tests.
The Union Health Minister was here to dedicate indigenously made linear accelerator 'Sidharth-3' at the Indore Cancer Foundation Charitable Trust's hospital.

A comprehensive health insurance scheme for the poor too will be launched, under which Centre will pay the premium, he said. It will be rolled out after all the states agree, he said.
Dr Harshvardhan also said that he had written to all the Chief Ministers about making anti-tobacco laws more stringent.
A long battle against cancer was needed, with stress on spreading awareness. The Centre had already taken up an initiative for this, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the new facility at the hospital will help patients from nearby areas as they would not have to go to bigger cities for advance treatment.