New Delhi, Feb 19 (IANS): The public health system was a key area of concern and the central government will provide an assured set of services encompassing preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative healthcare, Health Minister J.P. Nadda said Thursday.

"Providing assured and comprehensive health services will be the foremost priority of the health ministry, which will provide an assured set of services encompassing preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative healthcare," Nadda said at the second meeting of the Mission Steering Group (MSG) of the National Health Mission here.

Pointing out that one of the key areas of concern was the quality of healthcare in the public health system, Nadda said healthcare needs to be patient-centric.

He said the ministry proposes to give a major thrust to improving the quality of healthcare in public facilities.

On the National Health Mission, the minister said decentralisation lies at the heart of the health sector reform process under the NHM, as also a consciousness that the principles of federalism and subsidiary were paramount.

Among those who attended the meeting were Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi, Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani and Social Justice and Empowerment minister Thawar Chand Gehlot.