JP Nadda chairs meeting of Mission Steering Group (MSG) of National Health Mission

Union health minister JP Nadda on Tuesday chaired the ninth meeting of Mission Steering Group (MSG) of National Health Mission (NHM), and underlined the need for ‘enhancing the capacity- building of medical officers’ to achieve required results of healthcare schemes at the grassroot level. The Mission Steering Group is the highest policy-making and steering institution under the NHM, providing broad policy direction and governance for the health sector.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Nadda commended the NHM for its achievements and stressed on the need “to ensure the translation of agendas and objectives of different health schemes” for which he underlined the importance of the roles of officers like the Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) at the ground level.

Citing the administrative hindrances, he stressed on “enhancing and strengthening the capacities of Chief Medical Officers” and suggested the “need for training and capacity- building exercises so that their capacities can be utilized in the best way possible that will pave way for achieving required results of healthcare schemes at the grassroot level”.The minister also commended the role of ASHA workers, “grassroot foot soldiers”, in the healthcare system and stressed on the need for their further empowerment and welfare through revised incentives for routine activities, and providing enhanced honorariums.

The meeting also covered crucial discussions on policy frameworks, operational strategies, and financial norms aimed at enhancing healthcare delivery and achieving the NHM’s objectives. The focus remained on ensuring universal access to equitable, affordable, and quality healthcare, reducing child and maternal mortality, stabilizing population growth, and maintaining gender and demographic balance.

MoS health Prataprao Jadhav and Anupriya Patel, Vice chairman NITI Aayog Suman K. Bery, and NITI Aayog member (Health) V.K. Paul were also present along with the secretaries of several ministries in the meeting. The MSG was apprised about the achievements made under NHM during the past few years while marking the future targets for different missions. For the first time, Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) was also included in the MSG. The presentations on achievements and future targets of NHM and PM-ABHIM were also made that covered the developments made under the Mission, its components and agenda for the future.