Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri J.P. Nadda today chaired a high-level review meeting with the Health Minister of Haryana and senior State officials to assess healthcare delivery and strengthen the implementation of national health programmes. The discussions focused on public health system strengthening, patient-centric care, regulatory supervision, and the elimination of tuberculosis (TB) as a public health challenge.
Strengthening Drug Regulation and Patient Safety
Emphasising the importance of robust drug regulation, Shri Nadda stated that continuous monitoring across the pharmaceutical supply chain is essential to ensure the quality and safety of medicines. He urged authorities to institutionalise best regulatory practices and treat improvements in patient satisfaction, regulatory oversight, and compliance as sustained priorities rather than one-time efforts.
In this context, he also highlighted the need to strengthen monitoring mechanisms under the Free Drugs and Free Diagnostics schemes, particularly by reinforcing supply-chain systems to prevent shortages and ensure uninterrupted access for patients.
Diagnostics as the Backbone of Effective Healthcare
Highlighting the critical role of diagnostics, the Union Health Minister noted that timely and quality testing forms the foundation of effective healthcare delivery at every level. Accordingly, he stressed the need for professional management in hospital administration and regulatory compliance, along with stronger oversight of blood banks, hospital systems, and safety standards.
Moreover, Shri Nadda called for the establishment of a robust mechanism to ensure uninterrupted availability of laboratory reagents and consumables, thereby enhancing the availability of diagnostic tests at public health facilities. He also directed State officials to engage with HLL Lifecare Ltd to set up AMRIT Retail Pharmacy Stores in every district hospital across Haryana.
Leveraging Telemedicine to Bridge Access Gaps
Underscoring the value of technology-led healthcare solutions, Shri Nadda observed that telemedicine plays a vital role in bridging access gaps, especially in remote and underserved areas. He commended Haryana for its effective adoption and implementation of telemedicine services, noting that such initiatives significantly enhance equitable access to quality care.
Mission-Mode Approach to TB Elimination
Reaffirming the Government’s commitment to eliminate tuberculosis, Shri Nadda stressed the need for targeted, district-level interventions with intensified focus on screening, diagnostics, treatment adherence, and nutritional support. He highlighted the deployment of AI-enabled handheld X-ray units to strengthen community-level TB screening, as well as the availability of NAAT machines at the block level for early detection of TB, including drug-resistant cases.
Referring to community participation, he noted that over 350 MY Bharat volunteers from Haryana have joined the Ni-kshay Mitra initiative. He emphasised the importance of effectively linking these volunteers with TB patients to provide psycho-social support and generate sustained community awareness. Importantly, he underscored that TB elimination must be pursued in mission mode, with close monitoring at district and block levels.
Promoting People’s Participation and Legislative Engagement
To strengthen governance and accountability, the Union Health Minister called for sensitisation workshops for MLAs to encourage regular engagement with Zilla Parishads and Chief Medical Officers (CMOs). He stressed that people’s participation (Jan Bhagidari) is crucial for improving healthcare outcomes, enhancing accountability, and building public trust in health programmes.
Centre–State Collaboration for Stronger Health Systems
Assuring full cooperation, the Health Minister of Haryana stated that the State Government would continue to work closely with the Union Health Ministry to strengthen programme implementation and deliver improved health outcomes across Haryana.
Reiterating the Centre’s commitment, Shri Nadda emphasised continued support through National Health Mission (NHM) interventions, public–private partnership models, expansion of medical education, viability gap funding, and infrastructure development. He further assured that the Centre would provide all necessary technical training and handholding to the State. He added that similar consultative meetings with Health Ministers of other States would follow as part of a mission-mode approach to health sector reforms, noting that he had met the Health Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh last week.
Meeting Concludes with Shared Commitment
As reported by pib.gov.in, the meeting concluded with a collective resolve to strengthen drug regulation, advance diagnostic services, professionalise hospital administration, expand medical education capacity, and accelerate progress towards TB elimination. The deliberations reinforced the principles of cooperative federalism, highlighting the shared responsibility of the Centre and States in advancing public health.
Key Participants
Representing the Government of Haryana, the meeting was attended by Ms. Arti Singh Rao, Hon’ble Health Minister; Shri Sudhir Rajpal, Additional Chief Secretary (Health); Shri Manoj Kumar, Commissioner, Food & Drugs Administration; Shri Lalit Goyal, State Drugs Controller; Dr. Virender Yadav, Director, Health Services; Dr. Dheeraj Parihar, Director, Pt. Neki Ram Sharma Government Medical College, Bhiwani; Dr. Malti, Joint Director, Medical Education; Shri Prithvi Singh, Joint Commissioner (Food); and Dr. Rajesh Kumar Sihmar, Deputy Medical Superintendent, Pt. Neki Ram Sharma Government Medical College, Bhiwani.
Senior officials from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare also participated, including Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Union Health Secretary; Dr. Vinod Kotwal, Additional Secretary (Medical Education); Ms. Aradhana Patnaik, Additional Secretary and Managing Director (NHM); Shri Rajit Punhani, CEO, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI); and Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), among others.