World Health Organisation director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lauded National Health Protection Scheme and Ayushman Bharat initiative, saying they have the potential of transforming the lives of hundreds of millions of Indians.
“The new National Health Protection Scheme has the potential not only to improve health, but to help lift people out of poverty,” Ghebreyesus said at a gathering of health officials and experts at the NITI Aayog, the government’s premier think-tank. “The reforms which India is embarking on are bold, and they must be.” He, however, said the government should tread with caution, learning with international experience but using home-grown solutions.
Outlining three crucial precautions the government must take, Ghebreyesus said, “To get best returns on investment, it is important to focus on quality of services, especially in primary health care, and to prioritise those who are most disadvantaged – enormous gains can be made relatively cheaply in these groups.” “Second, it is important to equip and empower nurses and other mid-level health workers, who can carry much of the burden of providing care if they are given right training and permission. Since nurses are mostly women, investments need to be made in health as well as gender equality,” he said.
