13TH CONFERENCE OF CENTRAL COUNCIL OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (CCHFW)
12, Oct 2019
Prelims level : Constitutional Bodies, Regulatory Bodies and Other Institutions.
Mains level : GS-II: Governance - Health & Education
Why in News?
- The Union Health Minister Shri Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the 13th Conference of Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW) in New Delhi.
Highlights:
- Health ministers from 13 states and UTs participated in the event.
- The minister stated that the purpose of the CCHFW meeting was to build a consensus on the national health priorities i.e. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through Ayushman Bharat, eliminating TB and other priority agenda such as strengthening medical infrastructure.
- A member of the NITI Aayog opined that the two priority areas underscored by the Aayog are:
- Increasing the health budgets by the Centre and the States/UTs.
- Enhancing Health Infrastructure
- The minister also launched ‘Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN)’ for Zero Preventable Maternal and Newborn Deaths, its website and the grievance redressal portal.
- He also released the Report on National Diabetes & Diabetic Retinopathy Survey India 2015-19 and Report on National Blindness & Visual Impairment Survey India 2015-19, because 10th October is also ‘World Sight Day’.
- In addition, the minister also released guidelines on drugs, diagnostic services, biomedical equipment management and maintenance under the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Program.
Council of Health and Family Welfare:
- It is an apex advisory body to consider and recommend broad lines of policy in regard to matters concerning health and family welfare.
- The Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare is the Chairperson, while the Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare is the Vice-Chairperson.
- Its first meeting was held in 1988.