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India's contemporary health system is typically characterised by a poor public health system and an unregulated and high cost private health care. In a country with virtually no health security cover, the burden of health care on the poor and even on the larger segment of population unfortunately falls on households. Drugs and medicines accounts for a vital and substantial share of health care in India. On the other hand, health and drug policies over the years have tended to appease corporate interest rather than public health. In view of these developments, access to health care and in particular medicines has suffered a serious setback in recent years.
In order to document this issue and suggest policy correctives, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and Centre for Trade and Development (Centad) are jointly planning to bring out a national level report on Access to Medicines. To take this initiative forward, we seek your support and engagement with the report. As an initial step, we are organising a one-day National Consultation on Access to Medicines in India to be held on May 27, 2008, at India Islamic Cultural Centre (Conference Hall 2) .
The major objective of this consultation is to obtain inputs from experts drawn from civil society, academia, policymakers and practitioners in public health in the form of commissioning background papers, identifying research gaps, carrying out new research based on secondary and primary data.
Click here for Tentative Agenda
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