NEW DELHI: Narendra Modi is the first prime minister of India, which is engulfed in a “swirling epidemic of non-communicable diseases”, to have prioritised universal health coverage as part of his political platform under the ‘Ayushman Bharat’ programme, a noted UK-based medical journal has said.
Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of the ‘The Lancet’, said the prime minister has grasped the importance of health not only as a natural right of citizens, but also as a political instrument to meet the growing expectations of India’s emerging middle class.
He, however, was critical of Rahul Gandhi, and said the Congress chief was “yet to match Modicare”.
“Rahul Gandhi seeking to resurrect the Congress and prove that India’s greatest political dynasty still has something to offer, despite his promises to help lower castes, tribal communities and rural poor, is yet to match Modicare,” Horton said in an article published in the journal.
The Lancet editor-in-chief asserted that health will be a decisive issue in next year’s general election in the country.
With reference to five India-specific disease burden studies on non-communicable diseases published in The Lancet group of journals on Wednesday, Horton said, “…As the BJP and Congress set out competing and contrasting visions for India’s future, health will rightly become a decisive issue in next year’s general election”. (AGENCIES)
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