JP Nadda, former BJP national president, now helms the Union Health Ministry and Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, following his induction into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet. Previously led by Mansukh Mandaviya in Modi's second term, Nadda returns to these portfolios, which he held during the first term of the Modi government. Nadda's tenure as BJP president concluded in January and extended for six months to oversee the Lok Sabha 2024 elections, ending in June.
In Narendra Modi 3.0, the Health Minister would be one of the key government functionaries where the government would like to make a strong footing.
Making health treatments and health infrastructure affordable and available at all levels, be they rural, semi-urban, or urban, will be one of the key asks.
Given the low penetration of public health facilities, the role of the government will be to push the private sector towards affordability, as was recently pushed by the apex court as well.
Not just this, including affordable diagnostic facilities and the expansion of testing centres, too, will be key areas of work.
The digital health mission will be one of the top priorities as it is pushing the Ayushman Bharat campaign, along with linking of data across levels, be it in the private sector, state health functionaries, or at Central government health institutions.
Immediately on the table will be the task to launch the National Claim Exchange portal to streamline and fastrack the health insurance claim settlement.
Health insurance to be made affordable and expansion of the Ayushman Bharat cover—PM Swasthya Bima Yojana to include all above 70 years of age with a cover of ₹5 lakh, as proposed under the BJP manifesto.
The minister taking charge will have challenges to complete AIIMS, which are yet to be completed in different parts of the country, including AIIMS in J&K.
The idea is to have a world-class AIIMS in each state.
Similarly, Indian-manufactured medicines are also facing criticism globally. There are cases where countries have stopped importing medicines from India. The idea is to improve standards and improve the image of the country, given we are now supplying medicines to the entire world.
The bigger challenge for the health minister would be to make health infrastructure available at the grassroots level.
There are multiple pending infrastructural projects in the pipeline awaiting implementation. Another important challenge for the new health minister would be the quality issues of foods being sold in India.
There has been massive criticism of FSSAI, which is the main body that regulates the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import of food articles, while also establishing standards to ensure food safety in India.
Though very limited steps have been taken by the government to address the issues, the new minister will have to keep focus on these issues too, which directly impact public health.
Additionally, they may need to focus on enhancing medical education and training, promoting preventive healthcare measures, and addressing issues related to sanitation and hygiene.
Political and budgetary constraints will also play a significant role in shaping their ability to implement reforms.
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