India to Provide Free Medicines

Indians to get free medicines, announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his address to the nation on the country's 66th Independence Day. The prime minister said the National Rural Health Mission was launched in 2005 so that health services can be extended to every village.

After its success, "we now want to expand the scope of health services in our towns also", he said in his address from the Red Fort.

"The National Rural Health Mission will be converted into a National Health Mission which would cover all villages and towns in the country.

"We are also formulating a scheme for distribution of free medicines through government hospitals and health centres."

Source-IANS