Durban hosts 8th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting 2018

The 8th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting was held at Durban, South Africa on July 20, 2018. In it, J P Nadda (the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare) highlighted the achievements of India in the health sector. He said that to reduce Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), India has already initiated universal screening for prevention and management of five common NCDs including hypertension, diabetes and three common cancers of oral cavity, breast and cervix at pan India level. Beside this, India has started a unique initiative called AMRIT Deendayal pharmacy Centres that provide medicines for cancer & cardiovascular diseases and cardiac implants at significantly reduced prices. Apart from this, the unique programme ‘Ayushman Bharat’ has also launched that rests on the twin pillars of Health and Wellness Centres for provision of comprehensive primary healthcare services and National Health Protection Mission for secondary and tertiary care that aims to cover around 100 million families.