Allow Ayush docs to prescribe essential medicine, suggests group of secretaries

A GROUP of secretaries on health, sanitation and urban development has recommended that the government allow nurse practitioners and Ayush doctors to prescribe essential medicines after a bridge course.

The group was formed to conduct a mid-term review of government schemes and suggest policy initiatives.

In its report, the group recommended open selection of mission directors, who should be given functional and financial powers. It cited inadequate empowerment and lack of funds as factors affecting implementation of government programmes, and pitched for mission mode delivery as the preferred model.

It was suggested that the Ayush ministry, which was carved out of the health ministry by the present government, be merged back with the parent ministry and the department of pharmaceuticals too be brought under it. It also called for merging of the ministries of urban development and housing and urban poverty alleviation.

Primary health centres are not sufficient to cater to the demands of the population, and 30 per cent shortfall in doctors adds to the problem, the group analysed. Thus, it recommended that the MCI Act be amended so that Ayush doctors, nurse practitioners or those with a graduate degree in community health can prescribe essential medicines.

Suggestions for Budget 201819 include: expansion of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao to 120 more districts, additional taxes on food containing sugar, salt and saturated fats, and increasing public spending on health from 1.16 per centto1.5percent.italsosetatarget of reducing infant mortality rate to 28 (from the current 37) and maternal mortality rate to 100 (from current 167) by 2019.

The group asked for amendments to MCI Act so that medicines can no longer be prescribed by brand names. PM Narendra Modi made a pitch for generic drugs in Gujarat last month, and Chemicalsandfertilisersminister Ananth Kumar recently wrote to Health Minister J P Nadda seeking the same amendments.

It was proposed that the National Health Protection Scheme — originally announced in the 2016-17 Budget but yet to get the nod of the Union cabinet — be made universal rather than be limited to 8 crore BPL families.