a day ago
DMK MLA Ezhilan Naganathan submits report on State Autonomy in Health and Medical Education to committee
: DMK MLA Ezhilan Naganathan has submitted a report on State Autonomy in Health and Medical Education to The High-Level Committee on Union –State Relations, appointed by the State government.
The high-level committee held a consultation meeting on August 14. 'The health sector in India operates within a constitutional framework that assigns primary responsibility for public health and sanitation to the State list. Yet, over the past two decades, there has been a gradual but pronounced centralisation of powers, funding, and decision-making in health, medical education, drug regulation, and organ transplantation governance,' the report said.
Tamil Nadu, with its strong public health foundation, has consistently delivered outcomes well above the national average in maternal health, infant mortality reduction, immunisation coverage, and organ donation. However, recent shifts in Central policy have constrained the State's ability to innovate and adapt to local needs, it said.
The report recommended restoring medical education from the concurrent list to the State list, and called for abolishing the National Medical Commission and restoring the Medical Council of India.
National health programmes should be devised with State government consultation to streamline proper allocation and appropriate use of resources, it said.
States must be allowed to reallocate at least 50% of Central health grants to State-priority interventions without Union clearance, are among the key recommendations in the report.
