The National Health Policy 2017 has been formulated to address the current and emerging challenges necessitated by the changing socio-economic and epidemiological landscapes in India
The primary aim of the National Health Policy 2017 is to inform, clarify, strengthen and prioritize the role of the Government in shaping health systems in all its dimensions- investments in health, organization and financing of healthcare services, prevention of diseases and promotion of good health through cross-sectoral actions, access to technologies, developing human resources, encouraging medical pluralism, building the knowledge base required for better health, developing better financial protection strategies, strengthening regulation and health assurance. The Policy recognizes the pivotal importance of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The roadmap of the new policy is predicated on public spending and provisioning of a public healthcare system that is comprehensive, integrated and
accessible to all. One of the key principles of the Policy is to reduce inequity, which would mean affirmative action to reach the poorest and minimise disparity on account
of gender, poverty, caste, disability and other forms of social exclusion and geographical barriers.
The policy also recognizes the special health needs of tribals and socially vulnerable population groups and recommends situation- specific measures in the provisioning and delivery of services. The New Health Policy supports voluntary services in rural and underserved areas on pro-bono basis by recognized health professionals. It advocates allocating major proportion of resources to primary care followed by secondary and tertiary care.