Hyderabad: Experts question timing of Lancet report on healthcare

Hyderabad : The health care experts have questioned the timing of an international health journal questioning the Indian government’s spending on the healthcare in the country, referring to it as an election stunt.

The international journal Lancet has highlighted the low government spending on health with just 1.2 per cent of GDP and the high out-of-pocket expenses that continue to burden individuals.

It has questioned why the Indian government is so afraid of showing the real state of health. And more importantly, it says, how does the government intend to measure progress when there is no data? While some experts have asked about the low spending, some have questioned the timing of the journal during the election time.

Dr Kiran Madhala from the Indian Medical Association, Telangana Chapter said that India ranked 140 among 190 countries in health expenditure and the government’s health expenditure was still one per cent of the GDP, below the world average of 5.8 percent.

“Around 30-40 percent of inpatient care in India was financed by the sale of property and loans, while 20 to 28 percent of diseases in India were left untreated due to the lack of finances,” he said.

However, senior consultant from EMRI Green Health Services and paediatrician Dr Madap Karuna said all have the right to ask but one should not believe Lancet. “They are sold out. My sincere request is never to make health a political agenda. Common man was at a loss. Lancet should encourage the medical fraternity to do real-time research and publications.

It should be useful for feedback on health improvement, especially for those in the poor socio-economic status bracket. They are not behaving professionally. Indian politicians have the right to talk, not Lancet,” said Dr Karuna. Telangana State Medical Council Vice Chairman Dr G Srinivas opined that this looked like an election stunt. However, he said that the spending for health in the budget should be more than 5 per cent of GDP. “The governments are increasing medical colleges but not focusing on primary health care.

The Government of India should increase the budget on improving rural health and increasing PHCs, which would also decrease quackery. The tertiary care is good but at the same time the primary healthcare should also be improved by increasing budget from 5 to 7 per cent”, said Dr Srinivas.