Opp targets Govt over health spend, BJP MP highlights ‘paucity’ of doctors

The BJP MP, a former president of the BJP’s Bihar unit, also criticised the National Medical Council (NMC) for derecognising the diplomas issued by College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS), an accreditation body that has been in existence since 1912 and offers post-graduate diploma courses in several disciplines. The CPS courses provide an alternate route to MBBS students for post-graduate studies.

“Suddenly, the National Medical Council has taken a decision which has barred these students from working in CHCs or health and wellness centres as specialists. We will never reach the required level if we fail to recognise these diplomas. NMC is now again behaving like the old Medical Council of India. There used to be so much corruption,” he said. He showed an advertisement by the Madhya Pradesh government for recruitment of anaesthetists in government hospitals and pointed out how all states were struggling because of lack of specialists.

Jaiswal, however, spoke at length on how the Modi Government had “transformed” the country’s health sector as compared to the UPA. He also said that Punjab, Karnataka and Telangana, all ruled by Opposition parties, spent the least on healthcare. The Opposition, meanwhile, attacked the government for alleged apathy towards the healthcare sector. Tariq Anwar of the Congress said, “The health of the health department is not good. The doctor’s profession was once considered noble. It has now become business. In the Hunger Index, of the 125 countries, we are placed at 111. Government is charging health cess, but spending on health has decreased.”

Anwar also criticised the Ayushman Bharat scheme, saying it had become a scheme to benefit private hospitals.

Lalji Verma of the Samajwadi Party expressed disappointment that “healthcare was not part of the Finance Minister’s nine priorities”. He said that in FY 23-24, healthcare had a share of 1.91% in the GDP but had decreased to 1.81% of the GDP.

TMC’s Sharmila Sarkar said the healthcare budget was “inadequate”. “It should have been 2.5% of the GDP, a target that was set by the government. The condition of regional AIIMS is horrible. If AIIMS name is to be used, some standard should be maintained. It is critical to prioritise primary healthcare as 2/3rd of the population lives in villages,” she said.

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi said the Budget was much less than the target of 2.5% and that the funding for National Health Mission had not kept up with inflation, resulting in health centres not being properly staffed. He also went on to say that the PM had been propagating “false views” that Muslims have more children, stating that the total fertility rate had dropped the fastest amongst Muslims from 4.4% to 2.3%.

SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal highlighted shortage of doctors in the country. She, however, appreciated the government’s move to provide relief in taxes on cancer drugs. Independent MP Pappu Yadav questioned GST on health services. He also said India continues to use medicines banned in other countries.

BJP’s Daggubati Purandeswari criticised the Opposition. “The 2.5% of GDP that needs to be allocated for health is not necessarily incumbent upon the Centre… We see largely that states are not so forthcoming… when it comes to health,” she said. with ENS inputs