-The Hindu Government plans to roll out 12th Plan The National Advisory Council (NAC) is meeting here on Friday to sort out differences between the Planning Commission and the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare over the proposed National Health Mission. The Government plans to roll out the 12th Plan. The implementation of the Universal Health Coverage, as recommended by the High Level Expert Group, will also be discussed. The Planning Commission wants...

-The Times of India PM Manmohan Singh gave the National Health Mission pride of place in his I-Day speech but a fierce policy row clouds the initiative, highlighting sharp differences over a major policy revamp that includes an ambitious plan for universal health coverage.  Health ministry's unwillingness to pay anything more than lip service to a common health mission for urban and rural areas is a major flashpoint, although not the only...

-The Economic Times India has some of the best quaternary and tertiary care in the world and is gradually acquiring a name for itself even in the field of 'medical tourism'. Secondary care is still a significant challenge, but even in several smaller towns and district headquarters, there is a growing supply of maternity homes and multi-speciality secondary care facilities. At all of these levels of care, given the large disease burden...

-The Indian Express At a time when the government is struggling to get past objections from its coalition partners to attract investment in certain sectors such as retail, aviation and pensions fund management, a grim internecine ministerial battle has applied the brakes on foreign direct investment flow into one of the more attractive and lucrative sectors — pharmaceuticals. Clearances for over Rs 1,000 crore FDI in this sector, the second largest in...

-The Times of India In a move that has angered the health ministry, the Planning Commission has asked for reversal of the long-standing public health policy from the 12th plan onwards ending governments' dominant role in providing health services and transiting to greater privatization of the health sector, something along the lines of the 'managed care' system which is followed in the US and Mexico. The health ministry has taken a tough...