Switch to हिंदी

Health, Fitness, Beauty & Diet | Pregnancy & Parenting | Diseases & Home Remedies | TheHealthSite.com

Health, Fitness, Beauty & Diet | Pregnancy & Parenting | Diseases & Home Remedies | TheHealthSite.com

हिंदी
  • Health A-Z
  • Diabetes
  • Diseases
    • Type 1 Diabetes
    • Type 2 Diabetes
    • Cancer
    • Heart Attack
    • Pneumonia
    • Diseases A-Z
  • Diet & Fitness
    • Weight Management
    • Exercise & Body Building
    • Diet & Recipes
    • Yoga
  • Coronavirus
  • News
  • Pregnancy
    • Conceiving
    • Infertility
    • Labour & Delivery
    • Pregnancy week-by-week
    • Breastfeeding
    • Baby Names
  • Beauty
    • Skin
    • Hair
    • Grooming
  • Photos
  • Videos
Home / Health News / Harsh Vardhan promises better healthcare under NaMo government

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

By: Editorial Team   | | Published: July 13, 2014 4:29 pm
Tags: In the news  

dr-harsh-vardhanPromising ‘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. Also Read - Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: 4 reasons an eco-friendly Ganesha is good for you

Also Read - 7 reasons why the #BeefBan is good



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’. Also Read - Weight loss diet: How to eat healthy in a restaurant when you want to lose weight

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?

You may also like to read:

  • Child marriage: When will our girls’ lives be more important than religious sentiments?
  • President Pranab Mukherjee’s agenda for a healthier India
  • Union Budget 2014-15: Healthcare sector expectations by Dr Arun Singh, Senior economist
  • National Doctors’ Day 2014: How doctors are helping their patients have a better medical experience

With inputs from PTI

For more articles on healthcare, visit our healthcare section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our forum.

Published : July 13, 2014 4:29 pm
Read Disclaimer

Do violent cartoons make children more aggressive?

Do violent cartoons make children more aggressive?

How many times a day do men think about sex?

How many times a day do men think about sex?

Please Wait. Article Loading ....

Coronavirus Updates

Coronavirus Updates

Stay Informed, Be Safe

  • Don’t expect to get rid of coronavirus by 2021: WHO warns of continued Covid-19 transmission
  • Planning for a trip? In-flight spread of coronavirus possible during long-haul travel, says study
  • Recovered from Covid-19? Your immune system may fight coronavirus variants
  • To vaccinate or not? Medical expert clears the air around Covid-19 vaccines
  • Coronavirus vaccine: This nasal spray can block the virus for upto 2 days

Health Calculators

BMI Calculator
bmi Calculator
Ideal Body Weight
ideal body weight
Daily Calorie Intake
Daily calorie intake
Calories Burned
calories burned

Related Stories

Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: 4 reasons an eco-friendly Ganesha is good for you

Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: 4 reasons an eco-friendly Ganesha is good for you

7 reasons why the #BeefBan is good

7 reasons why the #BeefBan is good

Weight loss diet: How to eat healthy in a restaurant when you want to lose weight

Weight loss diet: How to eat healthy in a restaurant when you want to lose weight

10 Indian traditions we should go back to

10 Indian traditions we should go back to

Republic Day special: Traditional Indian dishes made healthy

Republic Day special: Traditional Indian dishes made healthy

Health News in Hindi

कोरोनावायरस, बैक्टीरिया से होगा बचाव, जब आजमाएंगे ये वर्षों पुराने दादी मां के 4 घरेलू नुस्खे, इम्यूनिटी भी होगी मजबूत

Holding Urine: पेशाब को रोककर रखने की आदत इन 5 गंभीर समस्याओं को दे सकती है जन्म

Diabetes Diet: डायबिटीज रोगियों के लिए 4 सुपरफूड्स, कंट्रोल करेंगे तेजी से ब्लड शुगर लेवल

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: इंफ्लेमेटरी बाउल डिजीज का लक्षण है पतली दस्त होना, बड़ी आंत में बन जाता है घाव

कोवैक्सीन हो या फिर कोविशील्ड! वैक्सीन लगवाने से पहले ये टिप्स कम करेंगे साइड-इफेक्ट का खतरा

Read All

Recent Posts

  • Don’t expect to get rid of coronavirus by 2021: WHO warns of continued Covid-19 transmission
  • Planning for a trip? In-flight spread of coronavirus possible during long-haul travel, says study
  • Beware! Air pollution can lead to irreversible blindness. Here’s how to stay safe
  • Lung cancer: Warning signs and symptoms you should never ignore
  • Beware! Obesity can lead to severe brain pressure disorder

About The health Site

TheHealthSite.com is India's largest health site with more than 40 lakh unique visitors per month. We focus on fitness, beauty, health, pregnancy and more.

Most popular health and wellness website in India in 2012 at the Website of the year awards.

health@corp.india.com
+91 – 22 – 6697 1234
Landline Phone number 91 – 22 – 2490 0302.

ZEE ENTERTAINMENT ENTERPRISES LTD, 18th floor, A-Wing, Marathon Futurex, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013.

Useful Links

  • Weight Loss
  • Keto Diet Tips
  • Skin Care Tips
  • Intermittent Fasting
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Ashwagandha
  • Cancer
  • Pneumonia
  • Diarrhoea
  • Dengue
  • Typhoid
  • Tuberculosis
  • Chickenpox
  • Chikungunya
  • Depression
  • Hepatitis
  • Diabetes
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Arthritis
  • Swine Flu
  • Baby Names
  • Cough and cold
  • Heart Attack
  • Breast Cancer
  • Ebola Virus
  • Dengue
  • Malaria
  • International Yoga Day
  • Hypotension
  • Heart Failure
  • Asthma
  • Brain Tumour
  • Celebrity Fitness
  • Goitre
  • HIV/AIDS

We respect your privacy

  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Author Profiles

Copyright © 2021 Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved.