After an auspicious and positive beginning to Healthcare Sabha 2018 with a lamp lighting ceremony, PBN Prasad, Deputy Drugs Controller, CDSCO-West Zone, Government of India gave the Chief Guest address. He deliberated on various initiatives taken up by Government of India in terms to the national health programmes, particularly highlighting the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS). He pointed out that NHPS evolved from National Health Policy 2017 and emphasised on various sectors from primary to tertiary care, strengthening regulatory framework, all to improve health safety aspects to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). He highlighted on the need for a more cohesive and collaborative approach to achieve UHC. He also opined that NHPS is a project which seeks to achieve this objective.
In addition to the how NHPS will play an integral role in achieving UHC, he further listed down the many programmes initiated by the government. These initiatives are with regards to medical education, drug regulation, new medical devices which emphasises and gives leverage to the Make in India initiative. He particularly pointed out that the Jan Aaushadi scheme will result in bringing down the prices, increasing the utilisation of the procurement policies. This will help to improve transperancy, thus improving our drug regulation system.