Budget 2024: IMA wants investment in public sector hospitals and increase in human resources

Budget 2024: Indian Medical Association President Dr RV Asokan in an interview to ANI said that the investment to health sector has stagnated. He further went on to say that the hospitals in the government sector and their human resources must be strengthened.

Investment in health sector

Dr RV Asokan pointed out that the investment in the health space has stagnated even as disease burden has risen.

"Our health investment has stagnated at 1.1% of the GDP for many years. This underfunding is a reason for poor infrastructure and lack of human resources. So we feel without including the budget of drinking water sanitation, which we call health determinants, the core health budget should be at least 2.5%...," he told ANI. "We would want that the public sector (hospitals) be strengthened and human resources increase," he added.

Ayushman Bharat scheme

On the Ayushman Bharat scheme, Dr RV Asokan has called for restructuring for private hospitals to benefit.

He mentioned that the funding received via Ayushman Bharat scheme to government hospitals take a 10-15% cut from the insurance companies. This do not allow the government hospitals to enjoy the entire funding allocated under the scheme.

"Two-third of the funding for Ayushman Bharat goes to government hospitals. I think that's not a great idea because the people are not feeling the relief. Because already it is free. So, it is another way of funding the government hospitals, rather through insurance companies, where they take a share of service provision for 10 to 15%, which is a poor way of funding our government hospitals," Asokan said.

Also Read: Budget 2024: Ayushman Bharat health insurance cover may be doubled to Rs 10 lakh

"We feel the Ayushman Bharat should be restructured for strategic purchases from the private sector and the government has its own channels to fund public sector hospitals through direct sources," he added.

Human resource strengthening

Regarding the ad hoc appointment, the IMA president mentioned that such appointments lack sense of belongingness.

"The very concern in government sector is there has been ad-hoc appointment of doctors across the country for eight to nine months, so they don't have a sense of belonging. It has to be through regular Public Service Commission's on a permanent basis with all those accompanying benefits then only the government sector could be run properly," he said.

Ad hoc appointments are made on temporary basis usually for a duration not exceeding one year on consolidated remuneration with specific conditions.

Union Budget 2024 LIVE Updates: FM Nirmala Sitharaman to present interim budget