What is the aim of the National Health Policy of India?

The government policy on health aims to reduce medical expenses for those who cannot bear them, bring innovative measures to support the sector’s growth, and spread awareness about the importance of good health and well-being. One of the major goals of the National Health Policy is to increase life expectancy.

How can I get the NHP UPSC PDF?

All the UPSC aspirants can easily download the National Health Policy PDF from the direct link provided on our page . It is an important topic for all IAS aspirants, and they can score well if they are in regular touch with the topic.

When was National Health Policy introduced?

The health policy was introduced nationwide in 1983. It was further reviewed and updated in the year 2002. With each year the goals and the objectives of the policy see a major shift due to the changing times and the parameters seeing a change as well.

When did the last NHP launch in India?

The latest National Health Policy was launched in 2017, which saw a major shift in its goals and approach. It is focused on a few specific points of consideration, such as increasing life expectancy, increasing the quality of healthcare services, and making them accessible to all .

What are the main objectives of National Health Policy?

The main objectives of the National Health Policy are to improve the overall health of the population and to ensure equitable access to healthcare services. Moreover, it aims to strengthen the overall healthcare system in the country by increasing the accessibility of healthcare facilities.

What are the components of the National Health Policy?

The three main components of the National Health Policy are as follows: Strengthening the healthcare system Promoting healthcare and disease prevention Universal access to affordable healthcare services

In which year National Health policy was formulated?

The National Health Policy came into effect in 2017 when it was launched by the Central Government to replace the existing health policy. The policy was introduced with a certain set of goals like changing health priorities, lowering medical expenses, and growing the healthcare industry.

When was the NHP endorsed?

The National Health Policy in India was endorsed by the Union Cabinet on 15th March 2017. The policy aims to achieve its goals and reduce mortality from various diseases like cancer and chronic respiratory diseases by 2025.

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National Health Policy 2017: Government Policy on Health, NHP 2017,2002

Q: What is National Health Policy?

The National Health Policy is a government policy on health that intends to bring all-inclusive growth & development in the Indian healthcare sector and make healthcare services accessible to all. The policy aims to revolutionize the Indian healthcare sector by raising awareness about health & well-being & providing the best services to the ones in need.

By BYJU'S Exam Prep

Updated on: November 14th, 2023

National Health Policy is a well-thought-out approach of the Indian Government to streamline and strengthen the health system in India. Through this government policy on health, the aim is to achieve the highest possible fitness level, raise awareness about wellness and make healthcare services accessible to all. The National Health Policy is an initiative by the Central Government that directs future health programs.

The National Health Policy 2017 replaces the previous health policy of 2002. The main aim of the policy will be achieved by adopting certain measures and policies to ease the process of providing healthcare facilities. The complete details of the National Health Policy have been facilitated in this article.

Table of content

1. National Health Policy
2. National Health Policy 2017
3. Salient Features of National Health Policy 2002
4. Objectives of National Health Policy
5. Principles of the National Health Policy of India
6. Achievements of National Health Policy
7. National Health Policy UPSC

National Health Policy

The National Health Policy was initially introduced as a guide to the Indian health sector concerning the approach it should take to spread awareness about health & well-being. It also aimed to adopt specific measures to reach the maximum health percentage across all age groups and to ensure the availability of healthcare services to all country people.

National Health Policy PDF

The government policy on health has been introduced and updated by the Government of India thrice.

National Health Policy 1983 by Indira Gandhi Government
National Health Policy 2002 by Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government
NHP 2017 by Narendra Modi Government

The central government launched the latest National Health Policy 2017, an upgraded version of the 2002 policy.

National Health Policy 2017

The NHP 2017 focuses on assured healthcare to all by addressing the current challenges. The key points of the National Health Policy 2017 are as follows:

Assurance-based approach.
Comprehensive primary health care package.
Health and Wellness Centres.
Free drugs, free diagnostics, and free emergency.
Three-dimensional integration of AYUSH systems.
Effective grievance redressal mechanism.
Increased health expenditure.

Salient Features of National Health Policy 2002

The NHP 2002 is an upgraded version of the National Health Policy 1983. The salient features of national health policy 2002 are as follows-

Approach to Primary Healthcare.
A decentralized system for public health.

Consolidation of all health programs under a single, overarching field expanding and improving public health programs.
Increased involvement of the private and NGO sectors in the provision of healthcare.
Rise in government healthcare spending.

Objectives of National Health Policy

The National Health Policy 2017 aims to widen the reach of each and every person in the country, promoting complete wellness and health while making all quality healthcare services accessible to all.

Since 2002, the national health policy has seen some changes in the basic framework, thereby changing the nature of the approach and the goals to be accomplished. The new goals look something like the following:

Dealing with the constantly changing health priorities – This goal focuses on the constantly increasing rate of non-communicable and transmissible diseases.
Managing the health sector expenditure – As is evident in the current times, medical expenses have been taking a toll on us. Therefore, the National Health Policy 2017 aims to reduce health-related costs and all the medical expenses that make healthcare services inaccessible to half of the population.
Contributing to economic growth – The National Health Policy 2017 also intends to contribute to the economic growth of the country & increase the fiscal capacity.
Creating a robust healthcare system – The policy also aims to strengthen the Indian healthcare industry by implementing new and innovative methods.

Principles of the National Health Policy of India

The National Health Policy in India is a progressive approach by the Indian Government to bring significant growth and development to the healthcare sector by including proper planning and adopting innovative measures by tending to certain specific focus areas with respect to the nation’s requirements. Here are a few key principles of the National Health Policy 2017-

Equity & Accessibility – The policy aims to decrease inequity and reach out to every needy section of society. This principle is based on the idea of making healthcare accessible to those who are suffering endlessly due to serious diseases and are unable to bear medical expenses.
Ethics & Integrity – The National Health Policy further aims to promote a transparent system by following high professional standards and taking each step ethically. This policy seems to focus on a professional attitude by not discriminating among those needing these services the most.
Proper Care & Support – To not degrade the quality of healthcare services, the government policy on health focuses on providing genuine, gender-specific, and safe services to all.
All-inclusive Stakeholding – The government focuses on bringing in inclusive partnerships, which translates to a ‘multistakeholder’ approach. This would also mean participation and cooperation from various other sources, such as academic institutions, the healthcare industry itself, and the non-profit sector.

Achievements of National Health Policy

The National Health Policy in India is a policy framework that aims to improve the overall health of the country’s citizens through a well-thought-out approach and measures. Some of the achievements of the National Health Policy in India are as follows:

The policy has focused on expanding the healthcare infrastructure in the country by increasing the number of hospitals, clinics, and health centers.
The National Health Policy has contributed to improved health outcomes by reducing diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria and increasing life expectancy.
The policy has emphasized the need to strengthen the healthcare delivery systems in the country by improving the quality of healthcare services.
The National Health Policy has focused on improving maternal and child health outcomes with different initiatives.

National Health Policy UPSC

The National Health Policy of India is an important topic for the IAS exam. All the aspirants should be thoroughly clear with their facts and information concerning the National Health Policy initiated by the central government.

Aspirants can also download the National Health Policy PDF and use it at their convenience.

UPSC Notes
National Health Mission	National Family Health Survey
National Digital Health Mission	National Education Policy
New Economic Policy 1991	Ayushman Bharat Scheme
Industrial Policy of India	Fiscal Policy in India
Disinvestment Policy	Indian Foreign Policy