Affordable healthcare may soon become a reality in India with government proposing states to provide all “essential medicines” free of cost to everybody who seeks government healthcare facility. This, along with instructions that doctors will prescribe only generic drugs to the patients.
In case of non-compliance, the health ministry has also asked the states to ensure strict action.
With an estimated cost of `28,560 crores to be spent on the new scheme, the government is likely to start the programme from October this year. The health ministry has already circulated a list of 348 essential medicines, with freedom to the states to draw their own list of essential medicines depending on the profile of the state. The list, however, has been asked to be drawn on scientific basis through a committee of experts.
Officials say the scheme will help expanding the accessibility. As per the data available with the health ministry, only 22 per cent of Indian population procure healthcare services in the government set up. With the introduction of the new scheme, officials estimate that about 52 per cent of Indian population will access government healthcare settings.
“The draft framework of the scheme is ready and we hope to start the scheme by October this year,” additional secretary in the health ministry L.C. Goyal said. The states have also been asked to evolve “standard treatment guidelines” to avoid over and under-treatment. “The scheme has been going on in states like Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan,” added the official.