Health ministry committed to providing affordable healthcare

The Health Ministry is committed to ensuring affordable healthcare for all, Union minister J P Nadda said today, days after his cabinet colleague Ananth Kumar urged him to make it mandatory for doctors to prescribe generic medicines.
The letter assumes significance as generic medicines are cheaper than their branded equivalents and is affordable for the poor.
"Hon @AnanthKumar_BJP ji our ministry is fully committed to working out all relevant issues in ensuring affordable quality healthcare for all," Nadda tweeted.
Union Chemicals and Fertiliser Minister Ananth Kumar had written a letter to Nadda asking him to bring amendments to the Medical Council of India (MCI) Act to make it mandatory for doctors to prescribe generic medicines, a source said.

Prescribing a generic medicine means doctors write the composition of the medicine (the salt) and not a brand name.
Kumar had written the letter to Union health minister J P Nadda on April 27 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in one of his rallies, had advocated for use of generic medicines as those are more affordable, the source said.

He had also asked for amending the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, so that chemists can give generic medicine even if branded drug is prescribed by the doctor.
Sources said these generic medicines will be easily available at the Jan Aushadi stores. The government is aiming to increase the number of these stores to 3,000 across the country.

Kumar had also requested Nadda to make it mandatory for government-run hospitals to procure at least 15 per cent of their total drug requirement from public sector pharmaceutical companies.