Primary health care of the country has been promised a much-needed boost with the new National Health Policy 2017 approved by the Union Cabinet today. The new policy proposes to raise the public health expenditure to 2.5% of the GDP. Here are some salient features proposed in the new health policy:
1.Yoga to be introduced more widely in schools and workplaces to promote good health.
2.The policy aims at reducing Under-Five Mortality to 23 by 2025 and Maternal Mortality Rate to 100 by 2020.
3.It aims to reduce infant mortality rate to 28 by 2019 and neo-natal mortality to 16 and still-birth rate to single digit by 2025.
4.The policy would aim at increasing life expectancy from 67.5 years to 70 years.
5.The policy aims to eliminate leprosy by 2018, kala-azar by 2017 and lymphatic filariasis in endemic pockets by 2017
6.The policy also aims at reducing premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory diseases by 25% by 2025.
7.The policy proposes free drugs, free diagnostics and free emergency and essential healthcare services in all public hospitals.
