Union Budget 2023: Medical sector calls for more nursing colleges, paramedical institutions
It has also demanded that post graduate medical students receiving stipend during the course may be exempted from income tax.
The Indian Medical Association has called to declare health as Fundamental Right. Submitting a series of recommendations for the health care sector and medical education for the Budget 2023, IMA has stated that the Covid 19 pandemic experience has a strong case for declaring Health as a fundamental right.
Invest in Health
Health policy 2017 promised GDP in healthcare of 2.5% by 2025. But the increase for Healthcare has been negligible and still hovers around 1.1% of GDP. Of the healthcare expenditure of 89,000 Crore for last year, a major chunk of 83,000 Crore is revenue expenditure.
Capital expenditure is only 5630 Crore, substantial increase in capital expenditure is required in the proposed budget to make a meaningful change. For equitable distribution of health and attaining Universal Health care, more infrastructure and facilities need to be added.
IMA has stated that with 650 medical colleges and 99,063 MBBS doctors in one year India is number one in medical education. It is time to pause and take a call on quality and sub specialization. More nursing colleges paramedical institutions and skill courses are needed.
Human Resources development for Health and Medical Education was allocated 7500 Crores in 2022. IMA has stated that there is still a huge shortage of qualified and trained Health care staff.
It has also demanded that post graduate medical students receiving stipend during the course may be exempted from income tax. “Tax incentives may be provided to doctors working in government hospitals and private doctors establishing a practice in aspirational districts,” IMA statement reads.
Special schemes that should be provided for formal training of doctors and nurses to enhance skills and bandwidth to offer care to a larger population which will help strengthen the quality of healthcare resources in the longer run.
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Abhay an alumnus of IIMC and Delhi University, has over a decade long experience of reporting on various beats of journalism. During his free time he prefers listening to music or play indoor and outdoor games.