Human Rights Activist Binayak Sen appointed Member of 40 member Steering Committee on Health

Human rights activist Binayak Sen was appointed member of the Planning Commission's 40 member Steering Committee on Health, which will advise the panel on the Twelfth Five-Year Plan (2012-2017). He will represent the Bilaspur-based healthcare organisation, Jan Swasthya Sahyog.
His experience of having worked as a paediatrician in Chhattisgarh's tribal belt will enable him to provide his input on the health of tribal children.

Binayak Sen was released on bail from the Raipur jail in April 2011 by the Supreme Court. He was earlier arrested on charges of sedition.

The 40-member Committee on Health is chaired by Syeda Hameed and is expected to submit its draft report by 30 September 2011 and the final report by 31 October 2011. It will be expected to suggest effective initiatives for the monitoring and evaluation of health programmes and recommend measurable indicators for the 12th Plan.

The steering committee will review the National Health Policy, 2002, as well as explore the possibility of adopting the Right to Health as an approach with special focus on women, children, life-cycle care and preventive and curative healthcare.