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The National Advisory Council met in New Delhi today and decided to formulate specific proposals on health insurance for the poor, community health volunteers, and health delivery systems that will be forwarded to the government. The meeting chaired by Smt. Sonia Gandhi also discussed measures to tone up the public health infrastructure and improve sanitation.
At the outset, the Council was informed about the setting up of a non lapsable fund , the Prathmik Siksha Kosh, exclusively for Elementary Education sector, including the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and the Midday meal scheme. The Council was also informed about the present status of processing of the draft Rural Employment Guarantee Bill and the draft Right to Information Bill.
The NAC meeting reviewed the detailed report on the deliberations and conclusions of the consultation workshop on health organized by the NAC on 22nd September 2004. The workshop discussed key issues including that of convergence of health, family welfare, nutrition and other related programmes. The urgency underlying measures to improve the delivery systems, the preparation of village and district health plans, the integration of school education and health care were also discussed. Emphasis was also laid the effective monitoring of the public health system including the enforcement of accountability, health insurance for poor families and its standards and costing, the training of health workers, sanitation and appropriate redesigning of medical education were discussed. Organizational, administrative, financial and legislative matters were also raised at the workshop.
Information about the Council’s functioning , along with relevant data is now http://nac.nic.in. The next meeting of the Council is scheduled for Wednesday 20th October 2004.
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