AAP medical group asks for greater health outlay

NEW DELHI: A doctor’s group associated with the Aam Aadmi Party has come up with a health manifesto, which calls for increasing the expenditure on health services, among others.

Dr Arun Gupta, convenor of Doctors for

AAP

, said 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.

“We will share this manifesto with all candidates for

Lok Sabha elections

in Delhi to endorse and act upon,” Gupta said.

The group claims health sector in India has never been given the priority it deserves, leading to grossly inadequate services. “The allocation of a meager 1.1% of GDP for health services speaks volumes about the apathy of successive governments towards this issue. Health sector is the most important determinant of social and economic progress of a nation,” it claims, adding that the expenditure for the sector should be increase to 5 % of the GDP in the next five years.

The group has also demanded universal health coverage to all, irrespective of 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 creation of Indian Medical Services — an administrative cadre to understand and implement complex health policies.