Time to start the work on the new National Health Policy


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 Rajendra Pratap Gupta

President & Member

Board of Directors

October 27, 2013

Shri Keshav Desiraju

Secretary to the Government of India

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi – 110108.

 

Reference: Need for a National Health Policy – NHP

Dear Shri Keshav ji,

I am writing on behalf of the Disease Management Association of India – The Population Health Improvement Alliance. We have been proactively taking up issues with regards to healthcare policy & reforms in India.

On February 01, 2013, when you were appointed as the Health Secretary, people involved with the health sector felt happy that the nation had got its best health secretary!  Expectations are running high!

This communiqué is about the need for setting up a team to draft the National Health Policy. Since the last National Health Policy was drafted more than 10 years ago in 2002, a lot of things have changed, like;

  • NRHM was launched in 2005 as a flagship program focused on rural health
  • RSBY was launched
  • Pandemic outbreaks like H1N1 (Swine Flu) have been a surprise and have shaken the world
  • Rise of MDR – T.B.
  • Increase in the incidence of chronic diseases & the issues related to child health
  • Occupational hazards
  • High IMR/MMR & MDGs deadline approaching in 2015

Besides, a lot of other developments have taken place, like;

  • UID –Aadhaar number for the entire population have been initiated
  • Emergence of mHealth & telemedicine
  • Newer technological interventions for diagnostics and treatment
  • Emergence of Big Data Analytics
  • Also that, India is focusing on transitioning the healthcare system to Universal Coverage
  • Emergence of innovative concepts, like Disease Management, ACOs (Accountable Care Organizations), HMOs (Health Management Organizations)  & Meaningful use.
  • Emergence of the prominent role of civil society organizations in healthcare delivery
  • Role of social media

The 12th five year plan has often been referred to as the plan for health, and I believe, that it is the right time to set up a committee to draft the new National Health Policy by 2015. Even if the committee is set up in early 2014, it will take at least a year to do the survey and complete the policy and so, most likely, the NHP would be tabled by 2015 and would cover a period of next 10 years (2015-2025).

We are sure that you will consider our request seriously and initiate the process for the new National Health Policy

With best wishes and with warm regards

Sd/-

Rajendra Pratap Gupta

CC:

Dr.Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister, Government of India.

Shri. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare

Dr.Syeda Hameed, Member, Planning Commission, Government of India

Chairperson, UPA

Presidents of all the National Political Parties

Gandhi family , Congress core group & the UPA Government


Let us reconstruct a few events

Congress core group meets twice , discusses the ordinance to overrule the supreme court judgement on tainted netas, and sends it to the H.E. President of India to sign .

Firstly , there was no hurry to do so, as this could have been debated in the Parliament . It is another thing that Congress does not like Parliamentary ways of doing debates and democratically running the government . Well, that is a defect in the Nehru -Indira gene ( the same DNA in Indira Gandhi led her to declare the emergency and suspend the constitution and all fundamental rights of Indians) .

President Mukherjee got jittery as BJP was opposing this ordinance tooth and nail , and had submitted a memorandum to the President . AAP ( Anna fame party ) also got jittery and sought a meeting with President Mukherjee and requested that he does not sign the ordinance

Suddenly , the Times of India also realised that it was not taken into ‘confidence’ for this ordinance, and this Jain family run newspaper was left out of the deal behind the doors .So suddenly , TOI started a miss call alert campaign to voice the opposition of its readers against the ordinance ,and the number swelled to five lacs.

Rahul , who reads very less ( no, he has still not been diagnosed with dyslexia .His problem is, that he understands quite late and after he understands that ‘little bit’ , he goes into a state of shock and does not speak or speaks incoherently – this disorder is under investigation by neuro – psychologists – scientists ) . Suddenly was informed by his ‘closed group’ that the public opinion is building up, and it is like 1857 …..Mulayam has been given relief as CBI has withdrawn its case , and now Congress is giving relief to Lalu through this ordinance , and this could pose a challenge to Rahul -Modi contest and Rahul has not taken any ‘stand’ in the past 9 years of Congress rule, and this could be a ‘fantabulous’ opportunity to show that he can do something.

Rahul likes such innovative ideas, he dropped his can of diet coke and could not hold himself and rushed to AICC HQ, where Makkhan was holding a press conference ( he has been called specially from the ministerial group to do this ) , and Rahul’s tongue got the better of him …….. he intended to say ‘ This bunch of idiots ( Sonia Gandhi heads the core group of congress ) and the Cabinet ( headed by a headless MMS) discussed this legislation twice and still came out with piece of bull shit  …. tear it apart …… It was clear that Rahul was not even consulted before hand , after all , he is young and can do mistakes ( which he has admitted now attributing to his harsh words).

Deciphering Rahul’s sentiments , one can conclude, that the Congress core group and the cabinet are headless chickens and cannot think like this ‘game changer’ Rahul does . ( Remember his bee school lecture at CII, he can put Michael Porter to shame with his business lingo !)

It does not end here , yesterday , he went and told every one in media during his Ahmedabad visit ‘ I am not a reluctant politician as you all think’ . Now, media guys are also idiots before this child prodigy Rahul

Then , he said yesterday ‘ i am young , and i can make mistakes , my words were strong , mama told me’ …. so , he disclosed that he discussed this with his mommy …….at the end , dynasty , DNA and an individual have more value than this 1.22 billion people , entire cabinet and the AICC core group….. After all, you and i were not born in that family , it was one and only Rahul . He is superior to everyone !

huh….. what do i write about this grown up chap 🙂