Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana February 1 Healthcare professionals and experts have welcomed the increased allocation for their sector and the proposal to provide Rs35000 crore for Covid vaccination. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today proposed Rs223846 crore budget outlay for health and well-being for 2021-22 compared to Rs94452 crore in the current fiscal an increase of 137 per cent. An amount of Rs35000 crore was announced for Covid vaccines. “The focus in healthcare was seen in the Budget announced today and will help in providing access to medical care for all” said member of the Indian Medical Association. Dr Kulwinder Singh from the government sector further said that it was a welcome step to see the government focussing on preventive healthcare over sick-care. “Emphasis on health in the budget announced today brings hope and light. The allocation of Rs35000 crore for the Covid vaccine brings hope after the most challenging period faced by the medical fraternity” he said. Meanwhile Dr Arun Mitra senior vice-president of the Indian Doctors for Peace and Development said an increase in the Budget on health by 137 per cent was far less than the governments own commitment to give 2.5 per cent share of the GDP to health. “If this has to be followed the Budget allocation has to be Rs3.5 lakh crore but in this Budget it is Rs2.24 lakh crore. A major chunk of this ie Rs35000 crore is for Covid-19 vaccination. Our demand has been to increase the GDP share in health to three times the present 1.2 per cent of the GDP” said Dr Mitra. He added that it was not clear whether the spending on health would be done directly by the government or through financing of private corporate sector which had been the policy of the government. Moreover no details had been given about long-term increase in the public health infrastructure.

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