Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) the number of free medicines distributed under the free drugs and diagnostics initiative under the National Health Mission in the country;
(b) the status of the remote, bordering and backward areas and the targets fixed by the Government for this purpose; and
(c) whether the Government provides drugs for serious illness like cancer and other life saving drugs under this scheme and if so, the details thereof ?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)
(a) to (c): The National Free Drugs Initiative under the National Health Mission (NHM) does not specify the number of drugs to be provided free of cost. Public health and hospitals is a State subject. Under the NHM, financial support is provided to the States /UTs to strengthen their health care system including in the remote, bordering and backward areas. The support under NHM includes support for essential drugs that the state wants to procure. It could include drugs for serious illness like cancer and other life saving drugs. The number of drugs from the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) that States decide to provide free of cost varies from State to State. All the States/UTs have reported that they have notified free drug policy in their respective States/UTs.