New Delhi, Feb 28 (PTI) India has made significant strides in healthcare since 2014, with health indicators such as maternal mortality rate (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR) showing a sharp dip, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said on Friday.
“The drop in maternal mortality rate in India is double that of the global decline, which highlights the efforts made in strengthening the healthcare system from the grassroots level. The infant mortality rate and under-five mortality rate have also seen a noteworthy downfall,” Nadda said at an event in Odisha.
Inaugurating the 9th national summit on ‘Good and Replicable Practices and Innovation in Public Healthcare System’ in Puri, Nadda credited the National Health Policy 2017 for the “paradigm shift” in the system, including primary and secondary healthcare.
The health minister also noted that the government has given a lot of impetus to tertiary healthcare.
He highlighted a recent Lancet study that found that patients enrolled under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) saw a 90 per cent rise in access to cancer treatment within 30 days, reducing delays in treatment and easing the financial burden of the cancer patients.
“Similarly, India has witnessed a noteworthy 17.7 per cent decline in TB (tuberculosis) cases from 2015 to 2023, a rate that is over twice the global average decline of 8.3 per cent, according to the WHO Global TB Report 2024,” Nadda said, adding that despite the Covid-19 setback, India has not diluted its TB eradication target.
Acknowledging the importance of public participation for the success of any campaign, Nadda credited the ASHA workers and other grassroots-level health workers for the achievements made in the healthcare sector.
He also said that panchayati raj institutions should be empowered more to further strengthen the healthcare base in India.
On the threats from non-communicable diseases (NCD), Nadda emphasised the need for bringing lifestyle changes.
He also praised the National Health Mission for its ongoing NCD screening drive, which offers free screening of diabetes, hypertension and three types of cancer – oral, breast and cervical.
Every district in the country will have day-care cancer centres in the next three years with 200 districts to be covered this year alone, Nadda said. PTI PLB AMJ ARI
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