Govt puts new health policy draft in public domain

Seeking "highest possible level of good health" through preventive and promotive care, the Centre today put the draft of the new National Health Policy in the public domain to receive suggestions from various stakeholders.
The policy's objectives are to improve the people's health status through concerted policy action in all sectors and expand preventive, promotive, curative, palliative and rehabilitative services provided by the public health sector, according to the draft put up at the Health Ministry's website.
It also aims at a "significant reduction" in out of pocket expenditure due to health care costs and lowering of proportion of households experiencing "catastrophic health expenditures and consequent impoverishment".

It looks to assure "universal availability" of free, comprehensive primary health care services, as an "entitlement", for all aspects of reproductive, maternal, child and adolescent health and for the most prevalent communicable and non-communicable diseases.
"The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has placed the draft copy of the new National Health Policy, 2015 in public domain to seek suggestions, comments and views from various stakeholders.
"The Health Policy can be viewed at www.Mohfw.Nic.In. The last date for sending views and comments is February 28, 2015," an official statment said.

The goal of the policy, the draft says, is "attainment of the highest possible level of good health and well-being, through a preventive and promotive health care orientation in all developmental policies and universal access to good quality health care services without anyone having to face financial hardship as a consequence".

It lists equity, universality, accoutability, ethics, professionalism, affordability among its "key policy principles".
The emphasis on alterative medicine also finds a mention in the draft, which says patients would have access to 'Ayush' care providers based on validated local health traditions.