NHRC reviews the progress of implementation of the recommendations of the Regional Consultation on Public Health and Human Rights
On 4 July 2002, a meeting was convened by the Commission to review the progress of implementation of the recommendations of the “Regional Consultation on Public Health and Human Rights” which it had organized on 10-11 April 2001 in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the WHO.
Justice J.S. Verma, Chairperson, presided over the meeting, which was attended, among others, by Shri P.C. Sen, Secretary General, NHRC; Dr. R.V.V. Ayyar, Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development; Shri S.K. Naik, Secretary, Department of Health, Dr. S.P. Agarwal, Director General of Health Services and other senior officials.
Opening the discussion, the Chairperson observed that the empowerment of people would take care of structural barriers and ensure accountability of implementing agencies. This, he said, should become the primary focus of the efforts to improve the design and delivery of primary health care in the country.
After detailed discussions, it was decided that the NHRC and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Government of India) would jointly convene a National Consultation to review strategies for strengthening primary health care within a given time frame. This consultation will involve representatives of relevant stakeholder groups from the states and central levels. NHRC would subsequently monitor the adoption of those strategies and the progress of their implementation, so as to ensure that the citizen’s right to essential primary health care is appropriately protected. It was also suggested that the base provided by the National Law Schools may be strengthened and expanded to provide platforms for partnerships to promote Public Health laws in their development and application. WHO will also initiate follow-up action at the national and regional levels to strengthen and expand networks for promoting capacity building in the domain of Public Health Law.
The meeting also discussed in detail the recommendations relating to Access to Health Care and Emergency Medical Care. The Chairperson requested the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare and Women and Child Development to provide their written comments and status reports on each of the recommendations made by the April 2001 Regional Consultation. These written reports would provide the background material for a subsequent meeting to be convened by NHRC, in early September 2002, to consider the remaining agenda items. In the meanwhile, NHRC, Department of Health, Department of Family Welfare and Department of Women and Child Development would take action on the two recommendations for action, which were agreed upon in the present meeting - the joint organization, by NHRC and MOHFW, of a National Consultation on Strengthening Primary Health Care and the Constitution of an Expert Committee by NHRC, with M O H F W participation, for review and reform of Emergency Medical Care Services in urban and rural settings
Justice J.S. Verma, Chairperson, presided over the meeting, which was attended, among others, by Shri P.C. Sen, Secretary General, NHRC; Dr. R.V.V. Ayyar, Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development; Shri S.K. Naik, Secretary, Department of Health, Dr. S.P. Agarwal, Director General of Health Services and other senior officials.
Opening the discussion, the Chairperson observed that the empowerment of people would take care of structural barriers and ensure accountability of implementing agencies. This, he said, should become the primary focus of the efforts to improve the design and delivery of primary health care in the country.
After detailed discussions, it was decided that the NHRC and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Government of India) would jointly convene a National Consultation to review strategies for strengthening primary health care within a given time frame. This consultation will involve representatives of relevant stakeholder groups from the states and central levels. NHRC would subsequently monitor the adoption of those strategies and the progress of their implementation, so as to ensure that the citizen’s right to essential primary health care is appropriately protected. It was also suggested that the base provided by the National Law Schools may be strengthened and expanded to provide platforms for partnerships to promote Public Health laws in their development and application. WHO will also initiate follow-up action at the national and regional levels to strengthen and expand networks for promoting capacity building in the domain of Public Health Law.
The meeting also discussed in detail the recommendations relating to Access to Health Care and Emergency Medical Care. The Chairperson requested the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare and Women and Child Development to provide their written comments and status reports on each of the recommendations made by the April 2001 Regional Consultation. These written reports would provide the background material for a subsequent meeting to be convened by NHRC, in early September 2002, to consider the remaining agenda items. In the meanwhile, NHRC, Department of Health, Department of Family Welfare and Department of Women and Child Development would take action on the two recommendations for action, which were agreed upon in the present meeting - the joint organization, by NHRC and MOHFW, of a National Consultation on Strengthening Primary Health Care and the Constitution of an Expert Committee by NHRC, with M O H F W participation, for review and reform of Emergency Medical Care Services in urban and rural settings