New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS): Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel on Thursday said despite demographic challenges in India, the government is committed to providing the best healthcare facilities.

"There are too many contradictions in India's healthcare scenario. A vast segment of the population does not have access to primary healthcare, essential medicines. The country has demographic challenges, double burden of communicable and non communicable diseases, mortality-related diseases, high rate of nutrition deficiency, emerging and re-emerging diseases like TB, Malaria, HIV AIDS.

"Despite all odds, the government is committed to the attainment of highest possible levels of health and well-being for all its citizens and providing healthcare for all," Patel said while addressing the 15th India Health Summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here.

The Minister stated that the National Health Policy 2017, which was released after a gap of 15 years, paves the way for reduction of out-of-pocket expenses.

"Mission Indradhanush yielded very encouraging results which has made us set our target date of bringing 90 per cent full immunization rate in the country to 2018, much before the target date of 2020. Five new vaccines have been added to India's Universal Immunization Programme, bringing the total to 12," she added.

Highlighting other achievements of the Health Ministry, Patel said that the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme is providing free dialysis services to the poor in district hospitals and Amrit Pharmacies provide drugs and implants for cancer patients and cardiovascular diseases at 60 to 90 per cent discount than the prevailing market rates.