What are the recent reforms undertaken by the Indian government in the healthcare sector

The Indian healthcare sector has been facing several challenges, and the government has recently introduced several reforms to address them. Discuss these reforms in detail.
Here are some of the recent reforms undertaken by the Indian government in the healthcare sector:
  • Launch of Ayushman Bharat Scheme: This is a flagship scheme by the government aimed at providing free health insurance to poor households. It targets over 100 million households and covers secondary and tertiary healthcare costs.
  • Leveraging Technology: The government has emphasized the use of technology in the healthcare sector. This includes the development of a National Digital Health Mission that aims to create a digital health ecosphere, among others.
  • Strengthening Primary Healthcare: The government has also prioritized strengthening of primary healthcare by building 150,000 health and wellness centers across the country. These centers will provide a range of services such as maternity care, non-communicable disease management, and diagnostics, among others.
  • Regulating Medical Devices: The government has introduced guidelines to regulate medical devices, which were previously unregulated. This is aimed at ensuring the quality and safety of these devices.
  • Improving Medical Education: There has been a significant emphasis on improving the quality of medical education in the country by increasing the number of medical colleges and regulatory compliances in place to ensure standardization.
These reforms are aimed at addressing several challenges in the Indian healthcare sector, including inadequate access to healthcare, poor health infrastructure, and high cost of healthcare services.
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