Health Activists Demand Urgent Overhaul of India’s Essential Medicines List
A working group is pressing for a revision of India’s essential medicines list to ensure better availability and price caps, as the current list lags behind global standards.
Health Activists Demand Urgent Overhaul of India’s Essential Medicines List
Call for Accountability in Healthcare
Health activists are urging the Indian government to revise its list of essential medicines, known as the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), which was last updated in 2022. The Working Group on Access to Medicines and Treatments highlights that while India's NLEM includes only 384 medicines, the World Health Organization (WHO) has expanded its Model List to 523 medicines, with revisions made in 2023 and again expected in 2025.
The activists assert that the outdated NLEM is compromising access to vital medications for the public and call for immediate action to align India’s list with international standards. This discrepancy raises serious questions about governmental accountability in ensuring affordable healthcare for all citizens.
As reported by The Hindu, the demand for a revised list is seen as crucial not only for enhancing availability but also for instituting price caps on essential drugs, ultimately benefitting the most vulnerable populations who rely on these medications for their survival.
Source: The Hindu
