Health Minister's Discretionary Grant

• Under the HMDG scheme, a maximum help of Rs. 50,000 was provided to the poor and needy as part of the expenditure made on hospitalization for major surgical interventions and treatment of major diseases including heart ailments, kidney transplant, hip and knee replacement, cancer, AIDS, hepatitis and tumour.
• Current guidelines: Help is granted up to Rs. 20,000 if the cost of treatment is Rs. 50,000; up to Rs. 40,000 if the cost is above Rs. 50,000 and up to Rs. 50,000 if it is above Rs. 1,00,000
• Fresh Guidelines : Assistance of Rs. 50,000 if the estimated cost of treatment is Rs. 1,00,000; Rs. 75,000 (above Rs. 1,00,000 and up to 1,50,000) and Rs 1,00,000 (above Rs 1,50,000).
• The new areas urology, nephrology, gastroenterology, liver transplant and surgery for portal hypertension, cases of complicated diabetes which require one-time treatment such as amputation or renal transplant.
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Health and Family Welfare

National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly

• Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has launched “National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly” (NPHCE) during 11th Plan period to address various health related problems of elderly people.
• Aim of the NPHCE programme is to provide separate and specialized comprehensive healthcare to the senior citizens at various level of State healthcare delivery system including outreach services.
• The major components of the NPHCE during 11th Five Year Plan were establishment of 30 bedded Department of Geriatric in 8 identified Regional Medical Institutions (Regional Geriatric Centres) in different parts of the country and to provide dedicated health care facilities in District Hospitals, CHCs, PHCs and Sub Centres in 100 identified districts of 21 States.

AYUSH

• Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy (ISM&H) was created in March,1995 and re-named as Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) in November, 2003 with a view to providing focused attention to development of Education & Research in Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy systems.
• 12^th Plan Proposals:The 12th Plan proposals include setting up of the following Institutions.
  
  
  (i)                 Homoeopathic Medicine Pharmaceutical Co. Limited.
  (ii)               All India Institute of Yoga.
  (iii)             All India Institute of Homoeopathy.
  (iv)             All India Institute of Unani Medicine.
  (v)               National Institute of Sowa Rigpa.
  (vi)             National Institute of Medicinal Plants.
  (vii)           National AYUSH Library & Achieves.
  (viii)         Central Council for Research in Sowa Rigpa.
  (ix)             National Commission for Human Resources in AYUSH.
  (x)               Central Drug Controller for AYUSH.
  (xi)             Indian Institute of AYUSH Pharmaceuticals Sciences.
  (xii)           National Institute of Geriatrics.
  (xiii)         National Institute on Metabolic & Life Style Diseases.
  (xiv)         National Institute of Drugs Tobacco De-addiction.
  
  
  New Programmes: The following new programmes are also proposed to be introduced as a part of the National Mission on AYUSH.
  
  
  (i)                 AYUSH Gram.
  (ii)               Pharmaco vigilance initiative for ASU drugs.
  (iii)             Strengthening of Research Councils’ Unit.
  (iv)             National AYUSH Health Programme.
  (v)               Hospitals & Dispensaries (under NRHM including AYUSH – Flexi-pool).