India spends less than BRICS,
SAARC nations on health; should fix it in Budget': Health body
New Delhi: Nothing that India's spend on healthcare is much lower than
some fellow BRICS and SAARC nations, a health body has
asked the Centre to bolster investments in health, particularly in family
planning, in the upcoming budget. Insisting that increasing the budget
allocation for health and family planning is of "utmost concern",
Population Foundation of India (PFI) has said low spending by the country in
the sector has caused growing inequities, insufficient access and poor quality
of healthcare services. "India spends just 1.3 per cent of its GDP on
healthcare. This figure is much lower compared to BRICS countries - Brazil
spends around 8.3 per cent, Russian Federation 7.1 per cent and South Africa
around 8.8 per cent.
"Among SAARC countries, Afghanistan spends 8.2 per cent, Maldives
13.7 per cent and Nepal 5.8 per cent. This low spending by India has been a
cause for the growing inequities, insufficient access (to), and poor quality of
healthcare services," Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director, PFI said. PFI
said the 12th five year plan recommends increasing public expenditure on health
to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2017.
Between 2015-16 and 2016-17, the government's allocations for Health
Ministry increased by 13 per cent but the share of National Health Mission in
the Ministry's budget declined to 48 per cent. Trends in budget allocations
indicate that percentage share to family planning has remained unchanged
between 2013-14 and 2016-17 -- at 2 per cent of the total Health Ministry's
budget.
Noting that during 2015-16, 59 per cent of government fund was released
primarily in the last quarter while 72 per cent was released in the first two
quarters in 2014-15, PFI said this evidences staggered supply of funds for
health resources and affects investments.
"Investing in health is critical for achieving the economic
development goals. The health sector, which drives domestic demand for health
care, has the potential of providing new jobs. The lack of skilled workforce is
stark in the health sector. Increased investment will also bring down the prices
of health services and assist in sustaining the medium term inflation target of
four percent.
"Adequate and proportionate resources invested (in health and
specifically family planning) in the upcoming budget announcement will bear
positive dividends for the country's future," Muttreja said.
31.01.2017
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