MPs demand more funds, manpower for healthcare sector

Discussion in Lok Sabha on healthcare grants, NEET leak, rising deaths, lack of manpower, and need for AIIMS-like institutions.

Lack of Central grants for the healthcare sector, NEET question paper leak, rising number of deaths among the youth, lack of manpower, and appeal for more AIIMS-like institutions dominated Friday’s discussion in the Lok Sabha on the demands for grants of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for 2024-2025. Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda is expected to present his response on Monday.

Raising concerns about young and middle-aged Indians becoming prone to various non-communicable diseases, Bangalore Rural MP C.N. Manjunath said 60% of the deaths today were caused by non-communicable diseases – the number one killer being heart attack. Those in the age group 25-45 were becoming prone to it, Dr. Manjunath said. 

Shiromani Akali Dal MP from Punjab Harsimart Kaur Badal noted that the existing AIIMS in her State did not have enough manpower or infrastructure.

Demanding that the Union government bring in measures to reduce the rising out-of-pocket health expenditure, Congress MP Shivaji Bandappa Kalge said the tax on medical equipment should be brought down, besides allocating more funds for the healthcare sector. “We are dealing with a situation where there is a lack of doctors in the rural sector and this needs to be corrected,’‘ he added. Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan stressed the need for standardisation of charges for various medical investigations so that the poor were not exploited.   

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP Asaduddin Owaisi said most primary healthcare centres (PHCs) across the country lacked basic infrastructure. People continued to struggle with rise in out-of-pocket medical expenditure. He also added that Muslims had lower fertility rates than Hindus. His remark was met with slogans from the BJP MPs.