Punjab budget: More wealth for health, but no roadmap to increase staff strength

The budget, however, focuses on government’s drive against drugs as a provision of Rs 50 crore has been made for setting up primary rural rehabilitation and drug de-addiction centres in the state.

The Congress government may have given thrust to revamp health infrastructure with 14.21% increase in budgetary allocation as compared to last fiscal, but it has failed to propose a roadmap for recruiting doctors, technicians and other staff in Punjab.

The budget also introduced restructured universal health insurance scheme that would cover tertiary care treatment. (HT File Photo, for representation)

Even during Question Hour, health minister Brahm Mohindra admitted to manpower shortage, right from the level of ambulance drivers to specialised doctors, which is hampering health services particularly in rural areas.

The budget, however, focuses on government’s drive against drugs as a provision of Rs 50 crore has been made for setting up primary rural rehabilitation and drug de-addiction centres in the state.

The budget also introduced restructured universal health insurance scheme that would cover tertiary care treatment. The scheme, for which an initial provision of Rs 100 crore has been made, will provide primary and secondary care coverage, along with accidental and disability cover to beneficiaries. The scheme will help reduce out-of-pocket expenditure of beneficiaries.

The government also proposed to transform at least 3,000 health centres in rural and urban areas into “health and wellness clinics”. These clinics will ensure preventive as well as limited curative services. The government decided to make 200 centres operational this year.

A provision of Rs 10 crore has been made for opening a medical college in Mohali, an announcement already made by the CM. The government will also set up tertiary care centres with a cost of Rs 50 crore in Fazilka and Hoshiarpur for cancer patients.

A provision of Rs 42.42 crore has been made for Bal Swasthya Karyakram, under which health check-up of children in anganwadi centres and aided schools will be done twice a year for 30 diseases.

FUNDING HEALTHCARE

Rs 100 crore for upgrade of Government Medical College, Patiala

Rs 50 crore for setting up of primary rural rehabilitation and drug de-addiction centres

Rs 50 crore for tertiary care centres

Rs 777 crore under National Health Mission

Rs 10 crore for medical college in Mohali