The Lok Sabha was today informed that as many as 5,000 additional post- graduate (PG) seats have been created in medical institutions in the country and the budget allocation for the health sector in the coming fiscal has been increased by 28 per cent. Health Minister J P Nadda said that various steps have been taken by the government to improve the health sector in the country.
During the Question Hour, he said, “There has been 27.7 per cent more allocation to the health sector in the 2017-18 budget. We are also planning to allocate 2.5 per cent of the GDP to the health sector in phase-wise”. However, many state governments have returned the funds earmarked for the health sector as they have not been able to spend them, he said.
He added that the Centre has been offering help to the states in order to improve infrastructure and institutions in the health sector besides providing financial support, but the states have to spend the funds properly and submit the utilisation certificates.
Doctors to be appointed in rural areas:
The central government will provide the financial support after which the state governments have to take initiatives for appointing enough doctors in the rural areas.
Long waiting procedure:
Responding to another question, the Minister said there was no specific norm for performing surgeries. However, in emergency cases, such surgeries are performed immediately on priority in central government hospitals and institutions.
“Despite availability of huge infrastructure and other services in these hospitals, there is a waiting period for certain procedures due to the ever-increasing pressure on infrastructure and available manpower in these hospitals which varies from department to department in these hospitals,” he said.
[“source-hindustantimes”]
