India 2018

Health and Family Welfare 299
(NRA) declared functional with the highest maturity level of 4 in respect of 5
functions and 3 in respect of 4 functions. 344 irrational fixed dose combinations
(FDCs) are prohibited. New National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM, 2015)
finalized. It now includes 376 medicines. Coronary stents added in NLEM, 2015
and their ceiling prices fixed to provide relief to patients.
Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi
Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) was set up in 1997 to provide financial assistance
to the patients living below poverty line, who are suffering from major life
threatening diseases, to receive medical treatment at Government hospitals.
The financial assistance to such patients is released in the form of "one time
grant" to the Medical Superintendent of the hospital in which the treatment is
being received. Under the scheme central government also provides grant-inaid
to states/union territories (with legislature) to set up State Illness Assistance
Fund (SIAF) to the extent of 50 per cent of contribution made by state
government/union territories.
Health Minister's Cancer Patient Fund
The scheme Health Minister's Cancer Patient Fund (HMCPF) within RAN was
also set up in 2009. In order to utilize the HMCPF, the revolving fund as under
RAN, has been established in 27 Regional Cancer Centres (RCCs). Such step
ensures and speeds up financial assistance to needy cancer patients and help
fulfill the objective of HMCPF under RAN.
Health Minister's Discretionary Grant
Under the scheme of Health Minister's Discretionary Grant (HMDG), financial
assistance up to ` 1,25,000/- is available to the poor and needy patients to defray
a part of expenditure on hospitalization for undergoing major surgical
intervention and treatment of major diseases. The patients who are not covered
under RAN, due to criterion of below poverty line and whose annual income
does not exceed ` 1,25,000/- can avail the financial assistance under the scheme.
Global Presence
India is a regular participant and leading speaker at global events viz. World
Health Assembly 2017, UN Health Assembly etc. While India hosted the 2017
BRICS event, MoHFW coordinated the health ministers meet to advocate for
continued support of member nations on health issues viz. TB, medical devices
and AMR etc. India is the founding member of the Partners in Population &
Development (PPD) - an Inter-Governmental Organization, formed during the
International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in 1994 for
promoting South-South Cooperation in the field of Reproductive Health,
Population and Development. MoHFW held and inaugurated the Seventh
Session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention
on Tobacco Control (FCTC).