The Union health ministry has asked the state governments to adopt the recently-passed Clinical Establishment Bill so that a comprehensive database of the health infrastructure could be made and the sector can be further streamlined.

Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad also asked the States to increase the allocation for the public health and take initiate stern steps to contain spurious drugs in the markets. He was addressing the 11thConference of Central Council of Health & Family Welfare, attended by his deputies and health ministers from all the States, here on Tuesday.

He called upon the State health ministers to strengthen the Public Health System for the prevention and control of infectious diseases like malaria, dengue, TB, H1N1 etc by improving laboratory practices, surveillance, outreach investigation and effective case management. He also advocated for the creation of a specialized public health cadre including a Directorate of Public Health in states to focus on prevention control of infectious diseases. The States were also requested to increase their Health Budgets to meet the growing demands of the health sector.

The Union Minister underlined the need for placing trained and motivated personnel to enhance the capacity of the health system to manage both communicable as well as non-communicable diseases. He requested the ministers to ensure that trained personnel are not frequently transferred so that their knowledge and skills are optimally utilized. 

Expressing concern at the menace of spurious drugs and adulteration of food, the Union Minister called upon the State Health Ministers to enforce the provisions of the PFA Act strictly. He emphasized the need for strengthening the enforcement machinery by filling up the vacant posts of food and drug inspectors and by upgrading the laboratories with proper equipment and trained personnel.

 The Union Minister emphasized the need for expanding the outreach of Medical Education in the unserved and underserved areas of the country. He highlighted the various path-breaking initiatives undertaken in the recent past to rationalize/liberalize the norms for setting up of the Medical Colleges. He particularly urged the State Government to raise the retirement age of the faculty to 65 years as has been a mended under the MCI regulations. He said that this lone step would enable state governments to overcome the shortage of faculty to some extent. The Minister also assured the Council that Ministry would engage in discussions with the Board of Governors, Medical Council of India to explore the possibility of further liberalization in the existing norms.