Spend 5% of GDP on healthcare, says NGO

Every 20 seconds, India records a child death due to diarrhoea and pneumonia. Every year, 1.73 million children die before the age of five. And nearly one million die within the first month of their life. HT reports.

Every 20 seconds, India records a child death due to diarrhoea and pneumonia. Every year, 1.73 million children die before the age of five. And nearly one million die within the first month of their life.

HT Image

Save the Children-an NGO working for the cause of children - has written to Montek Singh Ahluwalia, chairman planning commission to increase the annual budgetary allocation towards healthcare from the current 1.1% to 5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

"India ranks the lowest in public healthcare spending. India spends a little over 1% of its GDP on health with out of pocket being as high as 73%, affecting the lower income groups," wrote Shabana Azmi to Ahluwalia. Azmi, the Save the Children campaign ambassador was in Delhi to launch the campaign 'No Child Born to Die' in Delhi a few days ago.

"The government must invest more in health and that must reflect in the country's planning process and greater budget allocation," she said at the launch.

The WHO recommends that all developing countries must allocate 5% of GDP on health.