Health Minister Azad pitches for specialised public health cadre

New Delhi, Aug 31 (ANI): Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday pitched 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.Inaugurating the 11th Conference of Central Council of Health and Public Welfare, Azad called upon the State health ministers to strengthen the public health system for the prevention and control of infectious diseases.

"The states were also requested to increase their health budgets to meet the growing demands of the health sector," he added.

He also 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 drew the attention of health ministers to the most critical subject of population stabilization in the country and requested them to discuss this issue in state legislatures, Zilla Parishads and Panchayats to build up a broad-based political consensus for population stabilization.

He urged states to concentrate on implementing laws governing the age of marriage, and encourage young couples to delay their first child and maintain spacing between the first and second child.

Expressing concern at the menace of spurious drugs and adulteration of food, he called upon the state health ministers to enforce provisions of the PFA Act strictly.

He emphasized the need for strengthing 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.

Azad also assured that his ministry would engage in discussions with the Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India to explore the possibility of further liberalization in existing norms. (ANI)