Lawmakers Demand Better Healthcare Funding, Slam Government Policies

Members of various political parties criticized the inadequacies in India's healthcare infrastructure, highlighting issues in the Ayushman Bharat initiative and low healthcare spending. Calls for better funding, infrastructure, and medical education reforms were made, with particular focus on rural healthcare, AIIMS centers, and the impact of the NEET exam.

On Friday, opposition members harshly criticized the country's rural healthcare facilities and alleged irregularities in the Ayushman Bharat initiative, demanding increased healthcare expenditure.

Leading the discussion on the Health Ministry's Grants Demand, Congress member Tariq Anwar stated that despite the National Health Policy-2017's target to boost healthcare spending to 2.5% of GDP, government spending has been declining. Anwar noted that the inadequacies were starkly exposed during the Covid-19 pandemic. In contrast, BJP member Sanjay Jaiswal defended the government, citing a significant increase in medical colleges and seats since 2014 and highlighting the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

Meanwhile, members from other parties raised additional concerns, including high out-of-pocket medical expenses, the impact of NEET on students, and the need for more postgraduate medical courses. As the debate continued, calls for improved healthcare infrastructure, particularly in AIIMS centers outside Delhi, and scrapping the GST on life and medical insurance premia were also echoed.

(With inputs from agencies.)