HEALTH SURVEY AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

HEALTH SURVEY AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, HATHI COMMITTEE AND MUDALIAR COMMITTEE

HEALTH SURVEY AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE:

 In October 1943, the Government of India took the initiative to establish the Health Survey and Development Committee, placing Sir Joseph Bhore at its helm as the chairman. The central focus of this committee was the meticulous examination of the healthcare organization infrastructure inherited from the British India era. In pursuit of this, it directed its efforts towards generating comprehensive recommendations aimed at propelling developmental strides in the field.

The pivotal recommendations proffered by the Health Survey and Development Committee encompassed:

1. The inception of a Central Drug Laboratory (CDL).
2. The rigorous enforcement and application of the Drug Act of 1940 across the expanse of the nation.
3. The creation of both the All India Pharmaceutical Council and Provincial Pharmaceutical Council entities, tasked with the designation of representatives hailing from the pharmaceutical trade, pharmacy education, and other pharmaceutical sectors.

Further noteworthy propositions consisted of:

4. The issuance of comprehensive guidelines pertinent to pharmacist registration within India.
5. The provision of overhauled academic curricula tailored to licensed pharmacists, graduate pharmacists, and pharmaceutical technologists, designed to align with their respective roles within the profession.
6. The establishment of a specialized committee entrusted with the examination of the nation's exigencies concerning drugs and other fundamental medical requisites.
7. The delineation of strategies for the enforcement of discipline within the practice and profession of pharmacy.
8. The engagement of proficient pharmacists across diverse domains of the pharmacy profession, aimed at the stringent adherence to Pharmaceutical Legislation.
9. The elevation of professional benchmarks, thereby erecting safeguards to protect the field from the encroachment of unskilled individuals. 

HATHI COMMITTEE:

The Jaisukhlal Hathi Committee, an appointment by the Indian government, was entrusted with the oversight of diverse facets of the Indian drug industry, underpinning its burgeoning growth. Among the key objectives delineated for the committee were:

1. The examination of industry progression and its current status.
2. The formulation of measures that would precipitate the ascendancy of the public sector in the realm of basic drug manufacturing, formulations, and research and development.

Further pivotal goals comprised:

3. The formulation of strategies to buttress the expansion of the drug industry, with a particular emphasis on the Indian and small-scale industrial sectors.
4. A critical assessment of mechanisms facilitating the infusion of novel technologies into the industry, accompanied by necessary recommendations.
5. The inception of strategies promoting effective quality control for drugs and extending support to small-scale units.

Further salient aspects encompassed:

6. A meticulous appraisal of steps aimed at reducing consumer costs, coupled with recommendations to foster the rationalization of prices pertaining to essential drugs and formulations.
7. The formulation of strategies conducive to the provision of essential drugs and commonplace household remedies to the general public, especially within rural areas.
8. Recommendations concerning institutional frameworks and other modalities aimed at ensuring an equitable distribution of fundamental drugs and raw materials, particularly within the small-scale industrial milieu.

 

The synopsis of recommendations presented within the Hathi Committee report unveiled:

1. Approximately 20% of the aggregate sales in the realm of drugs and pharmaceuticals were undertaken by small-scale firms and multinational entities across the globe, aligning with a pattern discerned by the Hathi Committee.
2. The viability of larger units within the modern pharmaceutical sector was inextricably linked with their capacity to innovate and launch new products, informed by research, and sustained by demand generation, facilitated through efficacious marketing techniques.

Inferences drawn from the Hathi Committee's endeavors revealed:

3. A notable upswing in the pharmaceutical industry's growth over the past 15 years, evident in terms of product diversification and pricing policies.
4. A continuous imperative for the assessment and enhancement of packaging methodologies and materials to establish fitting packaging standards.
5. Advocacy for increased emphasis on standardization and cost-efficiency of packaging materials, all the while upholding the paramount importance of consumer protection.

The committee underscored:

6. The necessity of regular reporting on production, inventory, costs, sales, profitability, and more to facilitate swift and efficient government action.
7. The urgency of instituting a robust and sustained monitoring framework within the industry to accomplish pivotal objectives.

Furthermore, the committee advanced a substitute proposal wherein a profit ceiling of 10-12.5% post-tax on net worth, specifically paid-up capital, was posited as the norm. It also identified 13 generic drugs exempted from price regulation. Concerning returns on investment for bulk drug production, the committee endorsed a post-tax return rate of 12-14% on paid-up capital alongside reserves, serving as the foundational principle for price fixation.

 

MUDALIAR COMMITTEE:

 The Mudaliar Committee, initiated by the Government of India in 1961, was tasked with evaluating the advancements in medical relief and public health subsequent to the Bhore Committee's findings. This committee also played an instrumental role in shaping guidelines and proposals for integration into the ensuing Five Year Plans. The tenets established by the committee included:

 

1. The establishment of a tiered pricing structure for hospital services, with provisions excluding indigent patients.
2. Advocacy for the expansion of both the Employees State Insurance Scheme and the Central Government Health Scheme to encompass a broader spectrum of the populace.

Moreover, the Mudaliar Committee urged adherence to Bhore Committee references with regards to the implementation of primary health center initiatives. It endorsed the assumption of routine medical, surgical, obstetrical, and gynecological responsibilities by taluka hospitals, while district hospitals assumed the mantle of providing medical care and specialized services spanning medicine (including chest and heart ailments), surgery, obstetrics, gynecology, ENT, ophthalmology, pediatrics, orthopedics, dentistry, and venereal diseases. Several district hospitals were also earmarked for hosting teaching hospitals to solicit expert advice and assistance for investigations, diagnoses, and treatment protocols.

The committee emphasized:

1. The necessity for blood bank services in every district and teaching hospital.
2. The segregation of outpatient and inpatient departments via separate entrances.
3. The imperative for state-level establishments such as children's hospitals, maternity hospitals, cancer hospitals, leprosy hospitals, and T.B. hospitals.
4. The proposal for a state-level ophthalmic hospital furnished with 300-500 beds, alongside fully-equipped and staffed dental clinics in each district.

The Mudaliar Committee delved into the intricacies of public health challenges, extending recommendations to catalyze the evolution of both curative and preventive healthcare services. It asserted the universal need for the presence of hospitals and dispensaries to extend solace to ailing patients. It upheld the view that hospitals transiently serve as sanctuaries for patients, necessitating harmonized efforts from hospital authorities and government bodies to foster a conducive healing environment.

In this pursuit, the committee underlined the vital role played by infrastructure, equipment, and skill sets in curative services. However, it equally championed the significance of compassionate care, welfare facilities, and individualized attention, catering to the diverse needs of patients rooted in their social contexts and personality traits. The committee passionately advocated against preferential treatment based on affluence or political influence, stressing the need for equity within healthcare settings.