The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, along with other Government departments of India, have initiated the process of finalizing the draft Bill for a proposed national public health law. The planned National Public Health Act was first introduced in 2017 and is expected to replace the existing Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, which has been in place for over 125 years.
Background of the National Public Health Bill
The original draft of this public health law, titled “Public Health (Prevention, Control and Management of Epidemics, Bio-terrorism and Disasters) Act, 2017”, was released in 2017. In September 2020, the Government announced that they would be formulating a national public health law, now referred to as the National Public Health Bill.
Expected Provisions of the Draft Bill
The draft bill proposes several key measures:
1. Four-tier Health Administration Architecture: This structure includes multi-sectoral national, state, district and block-level public health authorities with clearly defined powers and roles for dealing with public health emergencies. The Union Health Ministry will head this structure, with district collectors and Block Medical Officers leading the other tiers.
2. Creation of Public Health Cadres: There are provisions for creating national and state-level public health cadres.
3. Definition of Isolation, Quarantine and Lockdown: The bill defines these important concepts and measures for managing epidemics like COVID-19.
4. Situation for Declaring Public Health Emergency: The draft outlines distinct situations where a public health emergency can be declared, including bioterrorism, previously controlled infectious agents, natural disasters, chemical attacks, or nuclear accidents.
State of India’s Healthcare System
According to the National Health Accounts (NHA) report for 2017-18, India’s healthcare system has seen an increase in government expenditure on health. The share of primary healthcare and social security expenditure on health has also risen.
Challenges Within the Healthcare Infrastructure
India’s healthcare system faces several challenges:
1. Issues of Healthcare Insurance: A large part of the population remains uncovered by financial protection for health. High GST insurance premiums further discourage individuals from opting for health insurance.
2. Lack of Private Sector Involvement: Due to lower profit margins, private entities show lesser engagement with the primary healthcare sector, which is primarily a public responsibility globally.
3. Lack of Original Molecular Development: Financing constraints hinder original molecule development, crucial for drug production. The Government needs to stimulate this area for advancing India’s production capabilities.
Initiatives in the Health Sector
Several initiatives related to the health sector have been launched by the Government, including the National Health Policy (2017), Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, PM Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, and Jan Aushadhi Yojana.
The Path Forward
India’s health system needs increased funding, inter-agency coordination, citizen engagement, and accountability mechanisms. Further investments in medical colleges could help reduce costs and increase service quality. Additionally, incentivizing R&D through tax deductions could promote new drug developments, while reducing GST on essential drugs could make them more affordable.
