Budget 2024: IMA seeks investment in public sector hospitals

Ahead of the Budget 2024 the Indian Medical Association IMAhas expected investment in public sector hospitals the ANI reportedAccording to Dr RV Asokan President of the Indian Medical Association investment in health has stalled and hospitals in the government sector as well as their human resources need to be enhancedSpeaking to the ANI ahead of the interim budget Dr RV Asokan said that investment in the health space has stagnated even as disease burdens have risenOur health investment has stagnated at 11 per cent 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 25 per cent he told ANI in a video interviewWe would want that the public sector hospitals be strengthened and human resources increase he saidFurther noting that the flagship Ayushman Bharat scheme was a very important initiative of the central government Asokan however feels it needs restructuring so that the private hospitals can also benefitTwothird of the funding for Ayushman Bharat goes to government hospitals I think thats 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 per cent which is a poor way of funding our government hospitals Asokan said according to the ANIWe 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 President of the Indian Medical Association IMA said as per the ANISpeaking about the ad hoc appointments of doctors he said such appointments lack sense of belongingnessThe very concern in government sector is there has been adhoc appointment of doctors across the country for eight to nine months so they dont have a sense of belonging It has to be through regular Public Service Commissions on a permanent basis with all those accompanying benefits then only the government sector could be run properly he asserted while talking to the ANIThe Budget session which is also the last session before the general elections expected in AprilMay will begin on January 31 and is likely to continue till February 9Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the interim budget on February 1The session will begin with President Droupadi Murmus address to the joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliamentwith ANI inputs