Government Proposes Supply of Essential Medicines Free to People
Government of India proposes to start an initiative for free supply of Essential Medicines in Public Health Facilities in the country aiming to provide affordable health care to the people by reducing out of pocket expenses of medicines.
This initiative will promote rational use of medicines and reduce the consumption of inessential, unscientific and hazardous medicines. This was stated by Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare at Amsterdam, Netherland.
Shri Azad said India is facing an increasing threat of Anti Microbial Resistance. To tackle the threat and also to promote rational and responsible use of antibiotics in India, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has developed the National Policy for Containment of Anti Microbial Resistance which aims at prudent use of antibiotics, prevention of emergence of drug resistance and prevention of spread of transmission of resistant bacteria.