The Indian Medical Association (IMA), the biggest organisation of the doctors has demanded that the government should give more emphasis to health sector. Addressing media persons here on Monday, the president of the Uttarakhand chapter of IMA, Dr B S Judge said that the health sector in India has never been given a priority it deserves which leads to grossly inadequate services at all levels.
He said that the fact that the government allocates a mere 1.1 percent of GDP for health sector underlines the apathy of successive governments towards this most important determinant of social and economic progress of the nation.
The general secretary of the IMA, Dr D D Chaudhury said IMA, which has three lakh direct and 5 lakh indirect members across the country would launch ‘Health First’ initiative in the country. He said that the aim of the initiative is to provide a holistic approach to health care sector with common man being as focal point.
Dr Chaudhury said that IMA wants that the government should increase spendings in health care sector. He said that priority should be given to primary and preventive health and the government should spend at least 5 percent of country’s GDP on health sector. The IMA secretary said that universal health coverage irrespective of socio-economic group or geographical location should be provided.