IMA wants health agenda on manifestos

NEW DELHI, Jan 8: Lamenting the state of the health care facilities the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called upon various political p...

NEW DELHI, Jan 8: Lamenting the state of the health care facilities the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called upon various political parties to include a health agenda in their election manifestoes for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.

Disclosing this, IMA general secretary Dr Prem Aggarwal said successive governments had accorded low priority to health, despite it being a major issue affecting society. All political parties will be given a specific agenda on public health by the IMA and would be asked to adopt it for implementation if voted to power.

According to the agenda, population control and family welfare would be accorded top priority and spending on health care increased. “If steps are not taken to control the population explosion, we might touch the 2,000 million mark by the year 2024,” Aggarwal said.

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Over 1.02 lakh members , affiliated to the 1,745 branches of the IMA, have decided to actively participate in the election process and support the candidates with a clean image at the IMA annual general body meeting held in Daman last week, he added. Candidates with medical backgrounds will also be extended IMA support irrespective of their party affiliations. A National Political Affairs Committee has already been constituted to coordinate this activity.

Recognising the need for safe drinking water, the IMA has demanded that potable water should be declared a civil right and should be the responsibility of the state.

According to the manifesto, the problem of malnutrition is widespread and government apathy has only contributed to it. The government should accept the responsibility of food and nutrition for the children of the country, states the manifesto. Despite India being a signatory to the Alma Ata declaration, promising health for all by the year 2000, basic health care facilities lie in shambles.

While the world over the investment in the social sector is going up, in India the budgetary allocation has gone down. This has decreased the scope of modernisation or induction of newtechnology. The IMA has demanded an increase in allocations in the national budget and also incentives like tax-free period, soft loans and financial grants for health investors, specially in rural areas.

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The IMA manifesto has demanded compulsory secondary education for the girl child. According to the manifesto this would prevent a large number of problems and will promote better health and an improved social status for the girl child.

The manifesto has also pointed out the direct relationship between a polluted environment and ailments like bronchitis and asthma. The dismal state of sanitation and civic amenities, the manifesto claims, have resulted in the outbreak of epidemics such as gastroenteritis, cholera, typhoid malaria, dengue and plague.

The manifesto calls for the abolition of quackery, health education for all and the involvement of the private sector in national health programmes. The manifesto also talks about uniform wages and service conditions for medical professionals and an extended immunisation programme for children. The manifesto has come down heavily on the consumer protection act which it says `is against the dignity of a learned and liberal profession’ and has sought an amendment of the act.