PUNE: In a letter to the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, the national body of doctors with a membership of 1.98 lakh has expressed concern about the ensuing high prices of health care after the Union budget was announced. The IMA (Indian Medical Association) has urged PM to reassess the decision to entail service tax on private hospitals and diagnostic services.

National Vice- President of the IMA Devendra Shirole said, “The imposition of service tax will affect the poorer section of the society in a broader sense which is already burdened by the high cost of living and extreme high cost of medical services.”

By its Constitution, India is a welfare state and the government is work bound to offer excellent healthcare system to its people. Sadly, neither the state nor the Union government is concerned about providing healthcare to the poor and 70-80% citizens of rural India, in a capable manner. This gap in healthcare has been attended by the private sector, states the letter issued on March 1.

It also says, “The IMA is upset to know that healthcare division has not been given due significance in the proposed general budget.”

National President of the IMA Vinay Aggarwal says, “Even though health is a state subject, 70% of the healthcare delivery system is being managed by the private sector. The finance minister has proposed an outlay of Rs 26,760 crore for the health sector for 2011-12, an increase of 20 per cent over the previous year. If we consider the problem of inflation into account then it is almost the same as it was in the last budget.”
He added that the only silver line related to healthcare is the improvement of the salary structure and compensations for healthcare workers like those working in Anganwadi, etc.

- Anuja Bagaitkar