Latest news with #NationalHealthPolicy2017
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Brajesh Pathak presents roadmap to make UP number one in every sector
1 2 Lucknow: Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Wednesday presented the 'health vision document' in the Assembly. He outlined the govt's ambitious roadmap to make the state number one in every sector, particularly healthcare. Pathak said the vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047' goes beyond infrastructure such as buildings and roads. It encompasses ensuring health, dignity, and equitable opportunities for every citizen. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is advancing on the path of development guided by the mantra of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas'. Our priority is to provide quality healthcare to all without financial hardship," he told the House. The document presented the govt's goals, achievements, and policy priorities for 2027, 2030, and 2047. Pathak said the National Health Policy 2017, which focuses on affordable, quality healthcare for all, preventive care, and primary health services, forms the core of state policy. Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, each family receives annual coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh. Uttar Pradesh, Pathak said, emerged as a frontrunner in implementing the scheme, along with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, and eSanjeevani telemedicine services. By 2027, the govt aims to provide treatment coverage to every family, achieve 100% e-KYC for eligible households under PM-JAY, distribute gold cards, integrate state-level fraud risk monitoring with helplines, and expand digitisation across the health sector. All Ayushman Arogya Mandirs will be equipped with biomedical lab networks, and public health laboratories will be strengthened. Greater use of telehealth services and expansion of medical education are also planned. By 2030, targets include reducing maternal and infant mortality rates, improving disease control, and raising the quality of medical education. So far, 5.34 crore Ayushman cards have been issued under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and the Mukhyamantri Jan Arogya Yojana, benefiting 70.36 lakh patients with free treatment worth Rs 11,123 crore. The state has also established Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and launched special drives against communicable diseases. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
New Indian Express
18-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Doctors flay pact for integrative healthcare, say it is ‘mixopathy'
CHENNAI: The doctors association has condemned the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPH) for signing an MoU with the Commissionerate of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy and the National Institute of Siddha for jointly promoting integrative healthcare. The association alleged the state is acting in the interest of the Union government whose aim is to achieve 'One Nation-One Health system' by 2030. The director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Dr TS Selvavinayagam, in a release said the state aims to provide affordable and culturally rooted healthcare options to its people by integrating validated Siddha practices into the public health system. The initiative aims to bridge and strengthen the modern medicine with the rich heritage of the Indian System of Medicine. The partnership reflects the government's vision of promoting holistic, inclusive and accessible healthcare, he said. Dr GR Ravindranath, general secretary, the Doctors' Association for Social Equality (DASE), in his statement said DPH's attempt to implement the union government's integrated medical system is condemnable. It will ruin people's access to quality medical treatment, he said. 'The centre is imposing an integrated medical system through the National Medical Commission, NITI Aayog, National Health Policy 2017, National Education Policy 2020, National Health Commission, and the Union Public Health Department. As part of this, the centre is trying to launch a new integrated medical course at JIPMER, Puducherry, by combining the modern medical course MBBS with Ayurvedic course BAMS.' he said. Dr A Ramalingam, secretary, Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association, termed the move 'Mixopathy', and claimed it will lead to gradual decrease in standards of all systems of medicine. The state health department is committing a historic blunder by taking the regressive step, he said.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
The yearly ‘thank you' to nurses is not enough
May 12 has passed, an annual day where we honour Florence Nightingale and celebrate the unsung heroes of health care — nurses. We praised nurses on this day (International Nurses Day), but the urgency to truly empower the stars of our health-care system quickly fades. Nursing beyond tradition Nurses and midwives form nearly 47% of India's total health workforce, yet remain under-represented in leadership, policymaking, and autonomous clinical roles. The perception of nurses as being mere assistants to doctors still prevails, limiting their potential, despite global trends that prove otherwise. The role of Nurse Practitioners (NPs) as independent, advanced care providers capable of addressing health-care gaps has been embraced in Australia, Botswana, Brazil, South Africa, Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States and Zambia. NPs are advanced practice registered nurses (such as clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives and certified registered nurse anaesthetists) with specialised training, usually at the master's level. They are certified to diagnose, treat, and prescribe independently in many settings. India has recognised the need for NPs, particularly to expand health-care access in underserved areas. The National Health Policy 2017 has acknowledged that mid-level providers, including NPs, are crucial to primary care. Despite the Indian Nursing Council (INC) initiating structured NP programmes, notably the Nurse Practitioner in Critical Care (NPCC) in 2017 and also the Nurse Practitioner in Primary Health Care (NPPHC), integration remains slow. Initiatives such as the NP in Midwifery programme (2002) in West Bengal and similar efforts in Telangana and Kerala have struggled in the absence of a clear legal framework, defined roles and protected titles. Although some institutions have developed in-house training for extended roles (stoma nurses, diabetes educators, stroke nurses), these positions lack regulatory backing and national recognition. India's NP education programmes are designed to focus on advanced clinical skills, diagnosis, treatment, limited prescribing authority, and community engagement. However, there are challenges, a key barrier being the absence of a clear legal framework defining the NP scope of practice, including prescriptive rights. Resistance within some in the medical community, driven by fear of losing power, complicates integration. The curriculum emphasises clinical skills but leaves regulatory frameworks, licensure clarity, and career pathways murky. Who will licence NPs? Will they be recognised legally? Will they be absorbed into public systems or left out? This ambiguity is not just administrative, but is also existential for nurses. Lessons from Australia The NP movement in Australia is instructive, having begun with a clear goal to improve access in underserved areas and provide clinical autonomy to qualified nurses. But what made it work was more than just policy; it was politics. Nursing movements were part of the policy dialogues. Legislation protected the NP title. Licensure was formalised. Career ladders were created. Importantly, nurse-led models such as walk-in centres demonstrated that care does not always need a physician's stamp to be effective, safe, and appreciated. Resistance to nurse autonomy in India stems not only from policy gaps but from entrenched cultural, gender, and hierarchical biases that position nurses, predominantly women, as subordinates to doctors. This mindset influences policy decisions, including opposition to NP roles by the medical community, despite global evidence of their effectiveness. There is also a crisis in the nursing education sector due to lax regulation and corruption. Although the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Act, 2023, signals reform, its real impact remains uncertain. Compounding these challenges is the lack of strong, unified nursing movements, limiting the profession's power to engage in policy processes. Let nurses lead NPs are formally recognised in a number of high-income, low- and middle-income countries. Ironically, while Indian nurses excel abroad in NP roles, their potential remains untapped at home. Evidence shows NP-led care matches those with physician outcomes, with high patient satisfaction and lower costs. For India, adopting a collaborative, team-based care model, where nurses practise to their full scope, is progressive and essential to delivering equitable and quality health care. Realising NP roles in India demands urgent reforms in nursing education, regulation and nursing leadership. This includes closing substandard colleges, enhancing faculty competency, bridging the theory-practice gap, and integrating ethics and leadership, and policy engagement components into nursing curricula. Legal recognition of NPs, with defined licensure and accountability, is crucial. Clear career pathways, fair pay and advancement opportunities must replace the stagnation in nursing roles. Addressing the gender-based undervaluation of nursing is also essential. Critically, nurses must lead nursing reforms through sustained policy engagement. Given their lived experiences, nurses are uniquely positioned to advocate change and challenge medical hierarchy. To achieve this, grassroots nursing movements that are bolstered by strategic alliances and driven by courage, commitment, and the capacity to speak truth to power are needed. A yearly 'thank you' is not enough. India needs a health system that sees nurses not just as caregivers but also as leaders. Honouring them means confronting hard truths about power and privilege. Meena Putturaj is an Assistant Professor, DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance Fellow at the Institute of Public Health Bengaluru
