One of the stellar initiatives in the health sector launched by the Government of India during the year 2013-14 is the “National Health Mission – Free Drug Service”. It is aimed at providing effective healthcare support to the needy and giving them access to essential medicines free of cost at Government Health Institutions and Hospitals.

Over the years, cost of healthcare in the country has gone up significantly putting tremendous strain on the public, particularly the rural populace. In order to ease the financial burden of the common people seeking relief from various ailments, Govt of Assam and National Health Mission Assam has implemented the scheme of providing essential drugs & surgical etc. free of cost at all Government Health Institutions. Now in accordance with General ailments, Govt. of Assam is committed for taking care of their patient from the life-threatening diseases like cancer, hemophilia, neonatal, thelesemia, neurological, cardiological, nephrological disorders etc.

The essential drugs are procured in generic form and provided free of cost to all OPD and IPD patients in Government hospitals in Assam. Both the Central and State Government provide budgetary support for this initiative of providing essential drugs free of cost to patients visiting Government hospitals.

In view of Sustainable Development Goals of GoI to achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all categories of patient , the State of Assam has notified the Essential Drugs List (EDL) to treat communicable and non-communicable diseases with a broader view to ease the financial burden of the common people seeking relief from various ailments as well as those diseases where the drug-treatment therapy is found too costly for a BPL as well as APL family. Hence, Government of Assam had implemented the scheme of providing essential drugs & surgical almost of all categories free of cost at all Government Health Institutions including PHC/CHC/DH/Medical colleges spread over 33 districts of the State and EDL has been notified taking the standard of National Essential Drug List (NELM).