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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | National scheme for free medicines for all sought

National scheme for free medicines for all sought

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published Published on Sep 11, 2012   modified Modified on Sep 11, 2012
-The Hindu

The Jan Swasthya Abhiyan on Monday called upon the Union Government to extend free medicine supply scheme, presently operational in a few States like Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu, all over the country to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure of common people on health care. Such a scheme would especially benefit the patients deprived of any kind of treatment due to poverty.

In a letter addressed to Union Health & Family Welfare Secretary P. K. Pradhan, the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan pointed out that most of the States have “very ambiguous” systems of supply of medicines in the Government-run medical institutions, forcing the patients to purchase medicines from chemists and pharmacies at exorbitant prices.

Common people in India have to spend huge amounts of money from their pocket to meet health expenses in comparison with most countries of the world and this is the second biggest reason for increasing poverty, according to the Abhiyan. Purchase of medicines constitutes 45 to 80 per cent of the total out-of-pocket medical expenses.

“Medicines are priced very differentially in India and patients end up incurring 40 to 4,000 times more for drugs when these are bought individually from chemists and pharmacies,” said Abhiyan convenor Narendra Gupta, adding that about 27 per cent patients remain deprived of any kind of treatment or are forced to use poor quality services offered by unqualified medical care providers. Only a few States such as Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu have schemes to provide free medicines to all patients in all Government hospitals to the people of all socio-economic categories.

The scheme was launched in Rajasthan on October 2, marking Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, last year.

Significantly, the Working Group on Drugs and Food Safety chaired by Union Health & Family Welfare Secretary, steering committee for the 12th Five Year Plan and the high-level expert group constituted by the Planning Commission have unequivocally recommended introduction of a national scheme to provide free medicines to all in the country, pointed out the letter.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also made a reference to the Government’s intention to launch the scheme in his Independence Day speech this year, but so far there is no sign of it, said Dr. Gupta.

The Abhiyan – functioning as the Rajasthan chapter of the People’s Health Movement – requested Mr. Pradhan to utilise the occasion of a meeting of Health Secretaries and Mission Directors of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) taking place in New Delhi on Tuesday and Wednesday to initiate the national scheme for free medicines. As the first step, the Government can allocate Rs.1,000 crore, including Rs. 900 crore in NRHM and Rs.100 crore sanctioned separately, it suggested available with the Union Health Ministry to all the States to initiate the process for setting up a framework for supply of medicines and roll it out from January 1, 2013, suggested the Abhiyan.

Dr. Gupta, who also runs a voluntary group “Prayas” in Chittorgarh, was a member of the Planning Commission’s high-level expert group on medicines.

The Hindu,11 September, 2012, http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article3883243.ece


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