21.10 ndian onom
Funding: The policy proposes raising public Background: The Government of India adopted an
health expenditure to 2.5 per cent of the GDP elaborate procedure for formulation of the health
in a time bound manner. It aims at providing policy. Its Draft was placed in public domain on
larger package of assured comprehensive primary 30th December 2014. After detailed consultations
healthcare through the HWCs (Health and with stakeholders and State Governments, it was
Wellness Centres). further fine-tuned. Finally, by late February 2016
it received the endorsement of the Central Council
Private participation: The idea of universal
for Health & Family Welfare (the apex policy
healthcare is very realistic to the time as it has
making body). Since the last health policy was
decided to enhance the participation of the private
announced in 2002, the country has seen much
sector in a positive and proactive way in achieving
socio-economic and epidemiological changes.
the goals of the policy. It envisages private sector
Besides, there are some burning current challenges
collaboration for strategic purchasing, capacity
as well as emerging ones. To address these issues
building, skill development programmes,
in holistic and effective way, the Government
awareness generation, developing sustainable
needed to come out with a newly designed and
networks for community to strengthen mental
contemporary kind of health policy—the outcome
health services, and disaster management. The
is the NHP 2017.
policy also advocates financial and non-incentives
The newly announced (in the Union Budget
for encouraging the private sector participation.
2018-19) National Health Protection Scheme
Quantitative targets: The policy assigns specific (NHPS) is a historic step in this regard. The
quantitative targets aimed at reduction of disease scheme aims to cover over 10 crore poor and
prevalence/incidence, for health status and vulnerable families (approximately 50 crore
programme impact, health system performance beneficiaries) providing coverage upto Rs. 5 lakh
and system strengthening. It seeks to strengthen per family per year for secondary and tertiary care
the health, surveillance system and establish hospitalisation.
registries for diseases of public health importance,
by 2020. It also seeks to align other policies for 5. AfTereffecTS of DemoNeTiSATioN
medical devices and equipment with public health
goals. introDuction
Regulatory mechanism: The policy advocates Early November 2016, the Government announced
extensive deployment of digital tools for a historic measure, with profound implications for
improving the efficiency and outcome of the the economy—the largest denomination currency
healthcare system and proposes establishment of notes, Rs 500 and Rs 1000, were demonetised.
National Digital Health Authority (NDHA) to Eighty-six per cent of the cash in circulation thus
regulate, develop and deploy digital health across became invalid. According to the Government,
the continuum of care. this was aimed to serve four objectives5:
Voluntary support: The policy supports (i) Curbing corruption;
voluntary service in rural and under-served areas (ii) Counterfeiting of currencies;
on pro-bono (free of charge) basis by recognised
5. The write-up is primarily based on the Economic Survey
healthcare professionals under a ‘giving back to 2016-17 and the primary sources of the Government of
society’ initiative. India released till March 2017.