Virtually bringing a parallel system for drug delivery, the Centre has proposed a slew of pro-poor schemes for helping those below the poverty line in accessing medicines. It will be over and above bringing the prices of essential medicines under control.

Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna for BPL families, National Illness Assistance Fund, State Illness Assistance Funds, District Illness Assistance Funds, district-level revolving funds and district drug banks are some of the schemes slated under the new Pharmaceutical Policy, now under consideration of the Group of Ministers, sources said.

However, it is pointed out that new schemes like district drug banks, almost parallel to the existing set-up of PHCs for drug delivery, would only make the implementation of the policy complicated and delayed. Besides, the policy seeks to cover the entire gamut of activities in the pharmaceutical sector, making it further complex, according to industry watchers.

Targeting the rural folks, the new scheme called Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana will be implemented in phased manner, starting from two each districts in every State in the pilot stage before being spread out to cover the entire BPL families free of cost.

Under the project, benefit of hospitalisation (upto Rs 15000) and for medicines as out patient (Rs 5000) per annum per family will be made available and will be implemented through four public sector insurance companies. Chemist shops would be short listed and health cards would be issued to the beneficiaries. From third year, the scheme will be extended to cover all BPL families, roughly estimated around 5 crore households, sources said.

State Illness Assistance Funds (SIAFs) in all States with Central financial assistance and States would also be asked to set up revolving funds in all the government hospitals for free treatment of BPL families. In order to increase the reach of poor people to these funds, district level revolving fund would also be maintained.

There is also a proposal to replicate Rajasthan model of medicare relief societies in government hospitals at State, divisional, district and sub-division levels for maintaining them intact. Another proposal is to set up 600 district level drug banks to increase the accessibility of medicines to the poor.