New Delhi, Mar 16 (IANS): Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Thursday said the new Health Policy 2017 prioritises investments and financing of health services.

Nadda said that the policy seeks to reorient and strengthen the public health systems.

The policy looks at strengthening partnership with private sector.

"As a crucial component, it proposes raising public health expenditure to 2.5 per cent of the GDP in a time-bound manner. The policy advocates a progressively incremental assurances based approach," said Nadda while making a policy statement in Parliament.

Stating that the policy envisages providing larger package of assured comprehensive primary health care through the health and wellness centres, Nadda said the policy denotes important change from very selective to comprehensive primary health care packages.

These, he said, include care for major non-communicable diseases, mental health, geriatric health care palliative care and rehabilitation care services.

"In order to provide access to financial protection, it proposes free drugs, free diagnostics, and free emergency and essential healthcare in all public hospitals," Nadda added.