India gets its first national essential diagnostics list.

GS-II: India gets its first national essential diagnostics list

Context

National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL)

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has finalised India’s first National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL). With this, India has become the first country to have such a list.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) released a first edition of its essential diagnostics list (EDL) in May, 2018. This has acted as a reference for ICMR’s NEDL.
The NEDL is on the lines of the essential drugs list, the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) which was first released in 1996. It was last updated in 2015.
The NEDL has recommended that at least 159 tests should be made available for patients in even primary government health facilities.
The diagnostics list mentions 105 general laboratory tests for a broad range of common conditions. It also mentions 30 disease-specific tests such as for HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and 24 imaging tests including X-rays, CT and MRI scans and ultrasound sonography.
The NEDL has been based on the Free Diagnostics Service Initiative and other diagnostics initiatives of the Health Ministry to provide an expanded basket of tests at different levels of the public health system.

How are diagnostics regulated?

In India, diagnostics (medical devices and in vitro diagnostics) follow a regulatory framework based on the drug regulations under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945.
Diagnostics are regulated under the regulatory provisions of the Medical Device Rules, 2017.

Why need NEDL?

Diagnostics serve a key role in improving health and quality of life.
While affordability of diagnostics is a prime concern in low, and middle-income countries like India, low-cost, inaccurate diagnostics have made their way into the Indian market which has no place in the quality health care system.
NEDL builds upon the Free Diagnostics Service Initiative and other diagnostics initiatives of the Health Ministry to provide an expanded basket of tests at different levels of the public health system.

Importance

Availability of quality assured diagnostics would be helpful in optimal utilization of the Essential Medicine List (EML).
It will help India in achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.8 i.e. Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Implementation of NEDL will enable improved health care delivery through evidence-based care, improved patient outcomes and reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure effective utilization of public health facilities effective assessment of disease burden, disease trends, surveillance, and outbreak identification and address antimicrobial resistance crisis.
It will also enable standardization of technology services and will aid in the promotion of R&D for new appropriate and effective diagnostics which in turn will lead to reduction in costs.

Source: The Hindu

Join Our Telegram

Negative rate policy

India’s doctrine of Nuclear No First Use

Formation Day

03 Dec, 25
SHARE

On 1st November, eight Indian states—Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu—along with five Union Territories—Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry—celebrate their Formation Day. This date marks an important milestone in India

Turtle (Kachhua) Wildlife Sanctuary

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

The Turtle Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as the Kachhua Sanctuary, is located in the Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh. It is recognised as India’s first freshwater turtle wildlife sanctuary, established to conserve endangered turtle species and support the ecological health of the Ganga River. Location and Extent The sanctuary co

Introduction of AI and Computational Thinking (CT) in

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

The Ministry of Education plans to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computational Thinking (CT) from Class 3 onwards in the 2026–27 academic year. This initiative is part of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 and aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The aim is to prepare student

Sal Tree

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

Scientists from the Environment Department of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) in Shimla have recently revealed that the Sal tree (Shorea robusta) is the most effective natural air purifier for combating rising pollution levels. Their findings highlight the tree’s superior capacity to trap dust, absorb gases, and cleanse the air compared

US Resumes Nuclear Weapon Testing

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

The President of the United States has ordered the resumption of nuclear weapon testing after a gap of 33 years, the last test being in 1992. This decision marks a significant shift in global nuclear policy and has far-reaching implications for geopolitics, the environment, and international security. Status of Global Nuclear Weapon Testing