Vijayawada: Doctors, public health workers and medical representatives in the state have said that they will vote for a government that will safeguard the public health system and ensure access to quality healthcare for every citizen.They have demanded that the budget allocation to healthcare be increased to 3.5 per cent of the total budget, and further increased to 5 per cent at the end of five years. Under the banner of Praja Arogya Vedika (PAV), doctors have said that they would vote only for those political parties that would implement their 18-point manifesto.“Right from primary health centres to hospitals at the tertiary-level, the government should take steps to strengthen the public health system. All hospitals should have sufficient medical personnel and infrastructure, as per the requirement. The appointment of the medical staff and purchase of medical equipment should be conducted transparently,” said T Kameswara Rao, convenor of the PAV.Stressing that retaining good doctors in state hospitals is vital for improving the quality of treatment, Kameswara Rao said that government doctors should be paid competitively and the non-practising allowance be reinstated to ensure that government hospitals receive the undivided attention and services of doctors.The PAV also expressed dissatisfaction over the increasing number of private partners that have been rendering public health services in the state. “Many essential services such as 102, 104 and 108 services, urban health centres and diagnostic centres are being run by corporate agencies. Many schemes such as the Arogya Raksha are siphoning the small amount of funds in the health sector, leaving no scope for the development of a government healthcare system in the state. This has to change,” said MV Ramanaiah, president of PAV.The PAV, affiliated to the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, opined that the public should be made an active participant in the formulation of health laws and demanded that the Right to Health law be enacted, which would guarantee free healthcare to every citizen in the country.D Rama Devi, a member of PAV, appealed to political parties and politicians in the state to include the issues raised by the PAV in their election manifesto and declared that the PAV would not support a government that was unwilling to improve the public health system in the country.

Stay updated with all the Latest Vijayawada headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.