MyVoice: Views of our readers 8th January 2020

We the doctors expect the government to extend all specialities on par with corporate hospitals in all the government general hospitals. The Centre should ensure medical infrastructure is improved in public hospitals and update of doctors at government's cost. Even doctors in primary health centres should be provided with residential facilities in all mandals. Government should follow the model of Chtristian Missionary hospitals who extend all facilities to resident doctors. Emphasis should be laid on research in every medical college hospital.

Dr M D Naveed,

head of ENT department, In-charge superintendent, Government General Hospital, Anantapur

Central and the state governments must apply their mind on providing decent payments on par with any corporate hospital in the country to the doctors in public sector. Many are not opting for government service because of poor amenities and emoluments. Decent staff quarters, insurance coverage of medical officers families. Infrastructure should be given a major boost in all district headquarters government hospitals and also area hospitals. Those who are in rural service in primary health centres and sub-centres should be given decent salaries and facilities. State of the art facilities must be created in all government hospitals.

Dr Arnakulam Emima Bhushan,

MBBS, house surgeon, Anantapur

I appeal to the Union government to provide maximum subsidy on surgical appliances and life saving drugs in the Budget-2021. I also request allocate Rs 500 crore in the Budget for providing loans to private doctors for setting up their clinics both in urban and rural centres. Regarding Income Tax, doctors and health professional need to be provided separate rates.

Dr R V Jagannadha Reddy, MBBS,

DCh. S V Clinic, K R Palli, Chittoor.

More funds should be allocated for prevention of diseases related to oral and general health since prevention is cheaper than cure. Better impetus to be given to oral health as is an integral part of the general health and it can affect the overall health. The government can subsidise the charges of dental treatment for people above 60 years and involve professional institutions for the same considering needy population. Subsidies and tax benefits can be provided to the medical and dental professionals who choose practice and serve in rural areas..

Dr Nuvvula Siva Kumar,

Narayana Dental College, Nellore

There is a need to reduce Income Tax slabs for professionals as well as all sectors as lion's share of salaries is consumed by the tax leaving little in the hands of people. It is necessary to raise savings ceiling also. Like one country, one election, uniform pay scales and retirement ages with benefits are also needed.

Dr MVR Murthi,

Rajamahendravaram

Ayushman Bharat should be extended even to the senior citizens and for the cancer survivors irrespective of their financial status as it is very difficult to get insurance for them. The government should fix a minimum premium and provide insurance cover under the scheme to all the population for protection from diseases irrespective of their income.

Dr C V Subrahmanyam,

physician, Nellore

Raise central budge from 1.2 to at least 3 pc: Allocation for health in our Budget is only 1.2 per cent as against the WHO recommendation of at least 5 per cent. It's about time to raise this to at least 3 per cent. The scope of Ayushman Bharat health scheme should be increased so that it reached all the needy people. AP needs extra allocations from Centre to develop its health infrastructure after the bifurcation. The recent Eluru incident highlighted the need for advanced labs and research centres in the state. Village health clinics is a good concept but they should have adequate staff and infrastructure.

D N V Ramanaiah,

Praja Arogya Vedika, Nellore

Allocations and accountability should be improved in health sector, particularly in rural and agency areas where people are not able to avail quality health services. Union Budget should address all these issues. Fund allocations need to increase at least up to Rs 50,000 for National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) from previous allocations of Rs 27,039 crore. Accountability is also fixed for use of funds in a proper way to improve health conditions of the people in rural and agency areas.

Dr Dannana Praveen Kumar,

RMO at private medical college cum hospital GEMS, Srikakulam.

The Centre should allocate adequate amount of funds for Homoeo research projects in the ensuing Budget, as many people are taking to Homoeo medicine in the country and the cure percentage is also high. Research in Homoeo gives good results in terms of ensuring more affordable treatment to various ailments and more sections of people. Measures should also be taken to bring AYUSH closer to wider population at ground level as the government is allocating funds to it.

Dr Saladi Sai Kumar,

Rajamahendravaram

The Central government should give priority for free vaccination for coronavirus in the Budget. It should also take steps to reduce the prices of drugs for diabetes, hypertension and insulin because crores of people are suffering from these chronic ailments. Besides, the government should also strengthen the medical care system for safe delivery of babies in the government hospitals and provide nutritious diet to the poor pregnant woman. Iron deficiency is one of the major problems faced by women in the country which needs to be addressed.

Dr Shaik Mahaboob, member,

Dental Council of India, Vijayawada.

The Central government should address institutional backlogs in health sector in the upcoming Budget like ensuring at least two beds for 1,000 population and increase the number of beds to meet the population ratio. At least 2.2 per cent funds should be allocated for health sector in the Budget. Jana Aushadhi stores need to be set up in every village to provide medicine to people at cheaper price.

Dr Ponnada Jogi Naidu, president,

IMA, Srikakulam chapter.

Union government must allocate more than 3 per cent of the budget for medical and health sector.. The government should take steps to appoint one MBBS doctor for every village which has sizeable population and must give priority for public health care like increasing vaccination programmes, supply vitamins to those who need medical care and strengthening the hospitals and PHCs. Besides, priority should be given for preventive health care like supply of pure drinking water, safe food and create good hygienic conditions.

Dr Ch Srinivasa Raju,

IMA president, Andhra Pradesh) Eluru

Compared to other countries, the budget allocated to the healthcare in India is pretty low. It has to be revised at least from the ensuing budget. In times of the pandemic, lapses in the health sector have been identified and steps should be taken to plug them. This apart, the rural health care system has to be strengthened to bring down the mortality rate. Facilitating quality drinking water and a clean environment will go a long way in maintaining people's health rather than spending lakhs on treatment. Government should work towards it.

Dr. E Peda Veerraju,

Retired Professor, AMC, Visakhapatnam

In a step to transform 'Make in India' a successful endeavour, medical equipment manufacturing units have to be encouraged. With this, health care becomes more accessible and affordable for the poor. A suitable platform should be created for such manufacturing units. In addition, pharmaceutical companies need a push in the form of subsidies and tax exemptions.

G Raghu Rama Rao,

dermatologist, Visakhapatnam

We need to strengthen the health sector to focus on unexpected pandemics like Covid-19 in future too. Private sector is facing many difficulties in purchase and service of high-end equipment as the GST rates are on par with any other industry. The package rates of government schemes, both of Centre and states, are equal for private , government and trust hospitals. Because of the mismatch in income and expenditure, private hospitals are minimising the purchase of high-end equipment to cut down the cost which is resulting in reduced quality in healthcare. The government should exempt sales and services of medical equipment from GST and provide subsidy for purchasing latest medical equipment to enable private hospitals provide best healthcare at affordable rates.

Dr V Sundakumar Reddy,

MD Narayanadiri Hospital, Tirupati.