60 i RtGHT TO HEALTH
of law, public health and social sciences as well as health NGOs and relevant
government agencies. Such networks may be established and supported in
countries of the South East Asia Region to serve national and regional public
health needs.
2)
Recommendations on Access to Health Care:
Decentralisation of authority in health care systems of the country, through
Panchayati Raj and other local institutions, by devolution of appropriate
financial, administrative and supervisory powers and implementation of all
relevant national programmes of Ministries/Departments of Health, Family
Welfare, Women and Child Development, Social Justice and Empowerment.
Standardisation and quality-assurance in the training of the various cadres of
health care personnel.
Effective linkage of the primary, secondary and tertiary systems for dependable
delivery of essential health care (acute as well as chronic).
Regulation of irrational or unethical medical practice in the public and private
health care sectors of the country, through the development of guidelines for use
of drugs, diagnostics and therapeutic procedures, with a regulatory framework
for monitoring and enforcement.
Availability of quality life saving drugs to the population. There should be a price
control policy for essential drugs, including all patented drugs, with the prices
linked to purchasing capacity of the population.
3)
Recommendations on Tobacco Control:
All States should be addressed to take steps for passing resolutions for adopting
provisions relating to control of all other tobacco products (other than
cigarettes) which are presently in the State list. As of now, only four States have
passed such resolutions.
A comprehensive nation^ tobacco policy should be evolved at the highest level
in consultation with all the stakeholders in Public Health.
NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION