explain briefly national health policy 2002 launched by the government to promote health service in India
Answers
In 1983 the Government of India came out with a National Health Policy (NHP) to govern the functioning of the public health sector. The results of the 1983 policy were mixed; while some initiative flourished others didn't yield results. In 2002 the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare introduced an updated health policy. In this policy they outlined the achievements and drawbacks of the 1983 policy and drew up new plans for the sector.
Some of the achievements discussed were regarding positive changes in incidence of diseases such as polio, malaria and leprosy. There have also been decreases in the crude birth rate, crude death rate and infant mortality rate (IMR). The health industry has benefited from improved infrastructure in the form of more beds, centres and health personnel. Even with these achievements some of the rates are too high when compared in the international community. The 1983 NHP does not address certain newer issues in health such as HIV/AIDS or lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Another major concern the new policy needs to address is macro and micro nutrient deficiencies especially in women and children.