Share of Central release under National Health Mission seen 185% growth since 2014: Nadda

Health Minister J.P. Nadda discusses financial stability and progress in Indian healthcare programs ahead of Union Budget announcement.

 Health is a priority area and finance for this sector has never been an issue for the various programmes run by the Centre, said Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Tuesday (January 28, 2025) ahead of the Union Budget announcement scheduled for Saturday.

The Minister noted that the announcement by the U.S. to exit the World Health Organsation would not hamper the ongoing programmes with the global health agency here in the country.

“Our projects will continue on schedule and while there are many programmes where WHO partners with us, there will be no disruption. India is also a big contributor to the WHO,’’ Mr. Nadda told a press conference held to list the progress in the last 10 years under the National Health Mission (NHM).

Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research (DHR), noted that the ongoing cluster of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in Maharashtra was under investigation.

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“Samples have been taken and the NIV, Pune is looking at the possible cause. We are yet to get any definite leads,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nadda, highlighting the Central government’s achievements through the National Health Mission, noted that the share of Central release under the NHM had seen a 185% growth since 2014. The Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme had benefited over 4.53 lakh dialysis patients in 2023-24. The NHM had seen new initiatives added after 2014, including the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Mission and Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme (PMNDP), while many other initiatives had been reinvigorated like the National TB Elimination Programme, Mission Indradhanush (MI) etc.