By Manzoor-ul-Hassan
The Aam Admi Party (AAP) has come up with a separate document on health sector reforms as a part of its manifesto. It has been drafted by a doctors’ group associated with the party and calls for increasing the expenditure on health services, among others.
“The manifesto has been developed in consultation with several doctors in the state and has been shared with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) as well,” Dr Arun Gupta, convenor of Doctors for AAP, told reporters.
He said the final documents will be shared with all candidates for Lok Sabha elections in Delhi to endorse and act upon. The group claims that the health sector in India has never been given the priority it deserves, leading to “grossly inadequate services. The health sector is the most important determinant of the social and economic progress of a nation. But, the allocation of a meagre 1.1 per cent of GDP for health services speaks volumes about the apathy of successive governments towards this issue,” it said.
“The expenditure for the sector should be increased to 5 per cent of the GDP
in the next five years,” the group added.
It has also demanded universal health coverage to all, irrespective of the socio-economic group or geographical location, and controlling the prices and quality of drugs, implants and consumables by restructuring the taxes and proper implementation of laws. Dr Gupta said they are also going to garner support for the creation of Indian Medical Services — an administrative cadre to understand and implement complex health policies.
