National Health Policy 2017- Aim, Features, Merits, Demerits [200 Words]

National Health Policy 2017

The Union cabinet approved the National Health Policy 2017 which replaces the previous policy framed in 2002.

Objective:

Aims at achieving universal health coverage and delivering quality health care services to all at affordable cost.

Features

• To raise public healthcare expenditure progressively to 2.5% of the GDP by 2025 from the current 1.4%.
• To Ensure availability of 2 beds per 1000 population.
• to Increase life expectancy from 67.5 years to 70 years by 2025.
• Reduce total fertility rate to 2.1 by 2025.
• Reduce infant mortality rate to 28 by 2019.
• To establish DALY - Disablity adjusted Life years Index by 2022.
• To strengthen the regulatory environment
• Proposes free diagnosis, free drugs, free emergency and other essential services in all public hospitals.
• Comprehensice package for Non Communicable diseases.

Merits

1. Increased spending on healthcare.
2. Focus on preventive care
3. Encourages Private partnership.
4. Free medical services in govt hospitals will be a huge relief for underprivileged.
   

Demerits

1. 2.5 % of GDP ito healthcare expenditure is still less than when compared with the developed nation's spending.
2. Targets are doubtful to reach with the available resource.
3. Failing to make the health a Fundamental right.

Conclusion