Harsh Vardhan promises better healthcare under NaMo government

Promising 'extraordinary' steps in the health sector by the Modi government, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan today said a mass movement will be built for implementing various policiesand programmes

Editorial Team | Published: July 13, 2014 4:29 pm

Promising ‘extraordinary’ steps in the health sector by the Modi government, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan today said a mass movement will be built for implementing various policiesand programmes in the coming months. ‘I can say with confidence that our government under the leadership of Narendra Modi is committed to health sector in the country and intends to do extraordinary work in this field,’ the Health Minister said.

In this regard, he called for building a ‘mass-movement’ involving everyone in the policies and programmes so as to make India a healthy society. The Minister said everyone should take pride in the fact that India today is a polio-free country. The government has earmarked Rs 39,237.82 crore for the health sector in this year’s general budget. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had also promised that the government would take up on priority basis initiatives such as providing free drugs and diagnostic services while aiming to ensure ‘Health for All’.

He had also announced earmarking of Rs 500 crore to set up four more AIIMS-like institutes. Both Vardhan and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan were attending the foundation day celebration of International Vaish Federation which was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah. The Speaker called upon the Vaish community to work for the welfare of the citizens. Men and women should commit themselves to the betterment of society, she said.

We take a look at his innings so far as Union Health Minister:

The crackdown on tobacco use

His boldest move has involved tobacco use and in a bid to discourage smoking amongst the youth, he has urged states and UTs to impose a 50% VAT on all tobacco products to make them less affordable. He has also asked the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to hike the prices of tobacco products in this year’s budget to make it less affordable, which he believes will in turn save the government and public a lot of money on healthcare expenditure. He also asked that cigarettes be banned in defence canteens. ‘I strongly feel that we need our armed forces to be physically and mentally fit and avoid using substances that compromise their health, fitness and wellbeing,’ Harsh Vardhan wrote in the letter to the Defence Minister (again Arun Jaitley). ‘Therefore, the armed forces establishments must stop selling tobacco products through their canteens and the ministry may revisit its policy making available cigarettes and other tobacco products at a discount to their members,’ he said.

The health minister said information and education campaign should back up the ban, and all defence establishments and naval ships should be made no-smoking zones. ‘This would go a long way in creating a healthy and fit force that can take up any enemy challenge with grit and determination,’ Harsh Vardhan added.

The move to eradicate kala azar

He formed a core group to spearhead measures to eradicate the diseases from the country by 2015. Kala azar, globally known as visceral leishmaniasis, usually strikes during the monsoon months. It is the second deadliest vector-borne disease after malaria. The group includes former health minister C.P. Thakur, head of Indian Council of Medical Research V.M. Katoch and Director General of Health Services Jagdish Prasad.

The first free treatment drive will be launched in selected pockets of Bihar and other states in August. The first meeting of the core group will be held later this week to draw up a plan of action.
‘One of the first tasks before the committee will be to select an appropriate medication for the treatment of victims because the drug policy on kala azar is under review for a number of years. I have advised the core group to expedite the process because unless we strike fast, many lives will be lost,’ Harsh Vardhan said.

Improve healthcare services in rural areas

The former minister Ghulam Nabi Azad tried hard to convince docs to spend some time in rural areas without much success and Dr Harsh Vardhan is walking down the same road, perhaps convinced that it’ll improve healthcare services. Replying in Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, he said the central government would create a mechanism to ensure docs are available in rural dispensaries and centres. ‘One way to do it, which will be feasible and acceptable to all, is that during the PG courses, medical students can be asked to spend a fixed duration in rural health centres,’ Harsh Vardhan said.

Malaria and dengue prevention

The minister asked all states to take malaria and dengue prevention measures on a war footing and hoped to make a new beginning in battling these ailments. ‘Dengue and malaria strikes with sickening regularity every year resulting in many deaths. Prevention of this tragedy is easy only if the prevention protocol is implemented with commitment,’ he said. ‘Let us make a new beginning. Let us not be complacent if the number of victims this year is less than last year’s. We must aim for zero incidences within two to three years,’ he said. He believes that 80% success rate is feasible if well-known preventive measures are implemented. Read more about Union Budget 2013-14: Will the healthcare announcements fuel Dr Harsh Vardhan’s ideas?

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With inputs from PTI

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Published: July 13, 2014 4:29 pm

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