The increased budget allocation for Health Services Division and the Health Education and Family Welfare Division in the 2019-20 fiscal year budget is a ray of hope for the state of healthcare in the country. It is high time that this sector is assigned more resources so that it can be improved upon.
The appalling state of our healthcare sector is apparent from the thousands of preventable deaths at the hands of negligent doctors or due to lack of proper facilities and equipment. The upper class can afford to travel abroad to seek treatment but for the common people it has led to endless suffering.
The government’s dedication in improving the quality of healthcare is commendable and we can see the effects in many of the indicators such as reduced the maternal mortality rate, infant mortality rate, child (under-5 years) mortality rate, malnutrition, stunting rate and low- birth weight rate. The average life expectancy has increased in our country and we have achieved significant success in ensuring the health and wellbeing of infants and children.
The government’s dedication in improving
the quality of healthcare is commendable and
we can see the effects in many of the indicators
However, there is still scope for improvement of the medical services available in our country. The government must ensure greater emphasis on research and development in the sector. Mental health, women’s health and reproductive health is also greatly lacking in our country due to stigma and cultural perceptions. The government must ensure that these areas of healthcare are not neglected and help to destigmatize these issues as well.
The Health and Family Welfare Ministry for the first time have taken initiative to considerably improve medical education in the country supported by more advanced and progressive system to enlighten medical students. Government should also provide financial assistance to medical students who need it as well as establish more medical colleges. More healthcare facilities should set up in isolated areas. The government should also provide healthcare services free of cost to elderly citizens.
Healthcare is one of the basic rights of each and every citizen. A nation can never move ahead unless affordable healthcare is accessible to one and all. We can only hope that this year’s budget allocation in the healthcare sector improves the current scenario in our country.
