Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Government should focus on removal of all major ailments' that was published in Newsband

Government should focus on removal of all major ailments

India has big number of cases of tuberculosis, kala-azar (laeishmaniasis), filariasis, leprosy and measles. An emerging economy like India should have a proper timetable for universal health coverage

The promise of a well-funded five-year scheme to meet the TB challenge beginning in 2017 is welcome But the World Health Organisation has been pointing to the lack of integration of private practitioners with the national mission on tuberculosis.

India’s campaign on leprosy is in reality a ‘post-elimination’ struggle resulting from complacency. Health Minister J.P. Nadda’s admitted in the Rajya Sabha that there were 1,02,178 leprosy cases on record as of September 2016.

Kala-azar is another ailment found in India. The few thousand cases are caused by a protozoal parasite with no animal reservoir.

If good medical protocol is pursued, pockets of filariasis in many States can be removed.

The government should target for removal of major scourges diseases such as tuberculosis, kala-azar (leishmaniasis), filariasis, leprosy and measles. For this proper planning is required from all department for implementation.

This again comes down to the issue of mismatch in vision of government and pharmacies. Prescription is given for the medicines which can be found only in associated pharmacy. The said medicine is then sold at high prices intentionally. Who are to be blamed here?

The budget allocations on public health is pathetic. The leprosy control measures have met with partial success. Despite many other NGOs working for eradication of leprosy, the government should take a lead role in providing financial assistance.

The Government has taken no commensurate steps to eradicate diseases like tuberculosis and leprosy for which advanced and latest medicines have been administered for its overall removal from the country. The number of people affected by them shows increasing trend and the government must root them out with proper care on individual cases and track them till its removal. Proper policy, allocation of needed funds and awareness missioning will keep such diseases off.