Legislation to streamline MCI functioning: Nadda

Tribune News Service

Shimla, March 19

Union Health Minister JP Nadda today said a legislation would be brought in to streamline the functioning of the Medical Council of India (MCI) and the Union Health Ministry so as to tide over the paucity of doctors, especially specialists and other related issues.

“We are aware of the situation, especially with regard to shortage of doctors and specialists. It is in this regard that 5,000 new postgraduate medical seats are being added, 4,000 of which have already been notified,” said Nadda today. He said these steps would certainly help meet the shortage of doctors, more so in rural and remote areas.

Throwing light on the National Health Policy-2017, unveiled by his ministry, Nadda said since the formulation of the last policy in 2002, the private sector had grown tremendously and there was a dire need to engage and regulate it. He added that the private sector would be roped in to fill the gap and it was part of this very exercise that Rs 900 crore had been earmarked for providing the dialysis facility in every district under the private-public partnership (PPP) mode.

Nadda said the thrust was to ensure that the patient was not deprived of the basic health facilities and had an access to free drugs and diagnostics. He said it was part of this endeavour to ensure supply of affordable medicines by having a national list of medicines and price control by the government.

“There has been a marked shift from the communicable to non-communicable diseases as now almost 60 per cent of the deaths result due to the latter,” he stated. He said consultations had been held for the formulation of the policy which focused more on preventive and promotive wellness. “The previous policy was disease specific while the new policy enunciates on issues of reducing the burden of all diseases and targets have been fixed for the eradication of every disease,” he elaborated.

Nadda said the policy contained established protocols for treatment, tribunal for adjucation of grievances of patients and making health cards of families which could be accessed at the click of a mouse at any health institution. He said there would be a special thrust on e-consultation and e-library.

Digidhan Mela launched

Union Health Minister JP Nadda today said more than 80 per cent of the informal economy activities, especially in the retail sector, would be brought into formal economy by digitisation  and cashless transactions. It would increase the number of tax payers with availability of adequate funds for development, he added. Presiding over Digidhan Mela at Peterhoff here today, Nadda said 27 crore saving accounts were opened under Jan-Dhan Yojana with a deposit of Rs 63,800 crore. This amount deposited in the banks could be used for development. IPH Minister Vidya Stokes said the government was promoting computerisation in every department and advocating cashless system for government transactions.