New Health Policy in offing: Minister

The government is in the process of formulating a new Health Policy and issues pertaining to high cost of medical devices in hospitals that lead patients to hardships will be addressed in it, Health Minister Harshvardhan informed the Rajya Sabha today.
The Minister was responding to the issue of exhorbitant cost of medical devices like stents, implants, pacemakers, artificial joints and titanium plates raised in the House during Zero Hour.
These devices put patients at the mercy of hospitals which often overcharge, Shantaram Naik (Cong) said.
He said the cost of such medical devices was very high and patients were "kept hostage" by hospitals in the absence of proper checks.

Naik said the companies should be made to compete with each other on fixing rates and alleged there is no control on prices of such devices and maximum retail prices of medical devices are kept high to accommodate commissions.
He said India is also known for medical tourism and people from across the globe came to the country for medical treatment and called for keeping the rates for Indian patients affordable.
"Our Minister is himself a doctor. Can you do something about it," he said asking the Health Minister.
The Minister said "the new government is in the process of formulating a new Health Policy. This will certainly be addressed in the new Health Policy.