Bhopal: Budgetary allocation of health department increased five times in the last 10 years but total allocation in the state’s budget has not exceeded 4 per cent of in MP. Not just this Rs 6278 crore out of the total budgetary allocation in the last 10 years of Rs 28,119 crore has not been utilized and it comes to be 24 per cent.
Lowest budgetary allocation was in 2016-2017 and it was merely 3.29 per cent of the total budget. However, as per the new health policy, allocation has to be increased to be 8 per cent. Dr Anand Sharma, senior executive of MP Medical Officers Association and CMHO Sehore, said, “7180 posts of Doctors were sanctioned when total population was 5 crore in MP. However the population has swelled to double but total doctors in MP are 3890.”
Such lapses on the part of health department have crippled the medical services from government side. The community as well as primary health centres still do not have enough doctors and para medical staffs. Consequently, 72 per cent patients of rural areas and 79 per cent patients in urban areas consult private doctors.
The total manpower is just 50 per cent while the requirement has increased two times. Overall situation is one of severe imbalance. Sharma said, “There are four type of the cases—first maternity, non-communicable, communicable and then accidental cases. To handle all the four type of cases, we need doctors, pharmacists and paramedical staff. Government is focusing to strengthening infrastructure but not focusing to meet manpower.”
Dr Sharma further said, “Proper service rule must be in place to attract new doctors in government sector. Only strengthening the infrastructure will not serve the purpose. We need technicians as well as supportive hands like paramedical staff with doctors to provide medicals services at grass root level.”
