The Disease Management Association of India (DMAI), the non-profit organization propagating disease management concept and tools in the country, has demanded the government to revise the healthcare policy to make it more detailed and comprehensive including assessment of prevalent disease and preventive healthcare mechanism to support the future growth.

The government has to assess the current disease burden in the country through surveys and special efforts and should initiate tax exemption for various services offered in the rural area to promote healthcare. The association suggests that the telemedicine or telehealth companies, which hold a promise when it comes to healthcare delivery in more than 6.20 lakh villages, should be given a tax holiday for the next 10 year and clinics and hospitals in rural areas must be given a tax holiday for 10 and 20 years respectively to promote healthcare initiatives in rural area.

In a letter sent to the Prime Minister and the Union Minister for Healthcare and Familiy Welfare, DMAI also sought 50 to 100 per cent tax free income for the health professionals working in designated rural areas and similar tax rebate for pharmaceutical and other firms with sponsor health checks in such areas. Preventive checks should be made tax free and rapid or instant diagnostic kits should be entitled for lower taxes & duties.

Department of pharmaceuticals, which is currently under the Ministry of Chemicals and
Fertilizers, must be brought under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, demands the association.

The country also needs an epidemiological survey to assess the actual disease burden and the government should create a central health authority along with similar state health authorities in every state to focus on health risk assessment, healthcare forecasting, health awareness, immunization, mother and child care, geriatric care, primary prevention, occupational health , disease management, organ transplants, emergency care and palliative care.

“We have already been late for this generation, but we must build a robust healthcare model for the coming generation. We need to bring a change in government policies, medical curriculum, medical practice and channels of delivery of care across the healthcare spectrum. Without an integrated care system, we cannot have results, and without preventive care we cannot have an integrated healthcare system,” said Rajendra Pratap Gupta, president, DMAI.

The government should also create a central disease registry by registering chronic disease patients through path labs and health risk assessment should be made mandatory for the entire family of the patient, for better preventive healthcare. Doctors, pharmacists and nurses should be trained and assigned to counsel chronic disease patients on behavioural changes for the same, he added.

Further, treatment guidelines and protocols should be placed including for screening, diagnostics, treatment of various disease and the line of treatment along with the diagnostic requirements, sought the association. “Government must come out with grading norms for facilities based on the treatment outcomes, number of beds, clinical staff, facilities, accreditations, offered, town class and treatments offered. Government must decide the price / rate for various treatments and procedures in facilities based on the infrastructure, town class, outcomes data for treating patients and grade of the facility,” suggests the letter.

Despite having competent accreditation authorities – National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), India still relies on JCI or Australian accreditation for various reasons. The government must recognize only the NABH / NABL accreditation for its healthcare facilities and make it international through support and incentives, demands DMAI.