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Context: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is in the process of finalizing a new health law draft.

 

Detail

• Officials from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and other Government departments have started the process of finalizing various provisions of the draft Bill for a new national public health law.
• Once the draft is ready, it will be placed in the public domain for consultation before being sent to the Union Cabinet.
• The National Public Health Bill is expected to be introduced in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

 

Key features of the new National Public Health Draft

• The proposed National Public Health Act has been in the works since 2017 and, once enacted, will replace the 125-year-old Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897.
• It will also cover public health emergencies caused by bioterrorism, natural disasters, chemical and nuclear attacks or accidents.
• It proposes a four-tier health administration architecture; National, State, District and Block-level public health authorities who will have “well defined” powers and functions to deal with “public health emergencies”.
  • The National Public health authority is proposed to be headed by the Union Health Ministry.
  • The State Health minister will head the State Public Health Authority.
  • District Collectors will lead at district level, and block units will be headed by Block Medical Officers or Medical Superintendents.
• These authorities will have powers to take measures for the prevention of non-communicable diseases and emerging infectious diseases.
• The proposed law also provides for creation of public health cadres at national and state levels.
• The draft Bill has defined various measures such as isolation, quarantine and lockdown, which have been extensively invoked by the Center and states for Covid management.
• It defines a lockdown as “restriction with certain conditions or complete prohibition of running any form of transport” on roads or inland water, it is learnt.
• The definition of a lockdown covers “restrictions” on the movement or gathering of persons in any place whether public or private. It also includes “prohibiting or restricting” the working of factories, plants, mining or construction or offices or Educational institutions or market places.
• The draft lays down several situations in which “public health emergency” can be declared. They include bioterrorism; appearance of a novel or previously controlled or eradicated infectious agent or biological toxin; a natural disaster; a chemical attack or accidental release of chemicals; a nuclear attack or accident.

Steps taken by Government:

• Promotion of Institutional deliveries through Cash incentive under Janani Suraksha Yojana.
• Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram: Free ante-natal Check-ups, Post-natal Care and treatment of Sick infants till one year of age.
• Providing Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Services, establishment of Special Newborn Care Units.
• Mission Indradhnaush: Expanding full immunization Coverage, introduction of new vaccines.
• PM Swasthya Suraksha Yojana for strengthening tertiary health Sector.
• POSHAN Abhiyaan to address Malnutrition.
• Iron and folic acid Supplementation for Prevention of Anaemia, home visits by ASHAs to promote breast feeding and Promote use of ORS and Zinc for management of diarrhoea in Children.
• Capacity building of health Care Providers: Trainings are being conducted under National Health Mission to build and upgrade the Skills of health Care Providers.
• Medical Devices Rules, 2017: Transparent regulatory System, Ensure Safety and quality of medical devices, Allowed 100% FDI in medical devices Sector to Promote Make in India.
• National Health Resource Repository: Create a reliable, unified registry of Country’s healthcare resources showing the distribution Pattern of health facilities and Services between Cities and rural areas. ISRO is technology Partner for Providing data Security.
• Allowed 100% FDI in Medical devices Sector to promote Make in India.
• Kayakalp initiative to Promote Cleanliness, hygiene and infection Control practices in public health facilities.

 

National Health Policy 2017 targets:

• Shifts From communicable to non-communicable diseases.
• Collaborating & regulating the private Sector.
• Shift from Sick-care to wellness.
• Increase Life Expectancy at birth from 67.5 to 70 by 2025.
• Reduction of TFR to 2.1 at national and Sub-national level by 2025.
• Reduce under Five Mortality to 23 by 2025 and MMR from current levels to 100 by 2020.
• Reduce infant mortality rate to 28 by 2019.
• Reduce neonatal mortality to 16 and still birth rate to “single digit” by 2025.
• Reduce premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory diseases by 25% by 2025.

 

Way Forward:

• The proposed law will deal with updated, scientific and comprehensive provisions on surveillance, disease notification and public health emergencies arising from epidemics, disasters and bioterrorism.

 

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/new-health-law-draft-four-tier-system-clearly-defined-powers-7828695/