IDPD expressed dismay at governments announcements regarding health sector in union budget announced today.

Ludhiana, February 1, 2017: Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) has expressed dismay at the governments announcements regarding the health sector in the union budget announced today. The Finance Minister has not specified any increase in the overall share to the health sector. Neither has he made any announcement of government’s intention to provide comprehensive healthcare to the citizens.

In a statement here on Wednesday, IDPD Senior Vice President Dr Arun Mitra said the announcement of 1.5 lakh health sub centers being transformed into health wellness centers means nothing unless these centers are upgraded which has not been told by the minister. There is need to have sub center for every 5000 population and this number falls much short of the required number of 2.5lakhs. He has not said anything about modernizing the district level hospitals.

He said giving Rs.6000 to the pregnant women is also a mockery as the poor women who are already under nourished require more nutrition not only during the pregnancy but also for coming years of lactation to the new born. This amount is too low. More over it has not been said that it will be unconditional and irrespective of number of pregnancies because in our society most of the times women do not have decision making power on the number of pregnancies.

Increase in the allocation for women and children should have been at least doubled keeping in view the increase in population and inflation.

The announcement of issuing smart card to the senior citizens to monitor their health means nothing without proper budget allocation and increase in facilities for their healthcare needs.

There is no mention as to 5000 PG seats will be added in the government sector or the private sector because the fee structure in the two is much different.

Whereas there is desire to eliminate Kala Azar, Measles and Tuberculosis, there is no announcement of special funds for all these.

Where as it is good to increase the number of AIIMS but the minister should have specified about the funding to meet the ongoing needs in the already existing AIIMS.

In all it appears that the government does not give proper care to the health sector and it does not want to take responsibility to provide comprehensive healthcare all citizens. It is further evident from the decision of the union cabinet in December 2016 to close down the Public Sector units making pharmaceutical products in bulk and at cheap rates, he added.