By IANS,
New Delhi: Experts Thursday asked the Indian government – which spends just one percent of GDP on health – to increase the expenditure on health facilities in the country.
“India spends one percent of GDP on health, which is the lowest, compared to that spent by some of the poorest countries in the world,” said N.J. Kurien, a former member of the Planning Commission.
Speaking at the National Consultation on the Draft National Health Bill here, Kurien said the United Progressive Alliance government in 2004 had promised to increase the health infrastructure in the country.
“In its two terms of governance, there has been just 0.2 percent increase in health infrastructure,” he added.
The experts also sought a National Health Act to ensure equitable distribution of medical facilities across the population.
“The National Health Act should be on the lines of the Right to Education Act and in fact should have been brought about earlier as health was more important than education,” said AIIMS cardiologist Srinath Reddy.