Shri Arun Jaitley

Hon’ble Union Minister of Finance

Respected Sir,

Greetings from Indian Medical Association!

In the last National Health Policy, it was mentioned that the government will increase the Health Budget from 1% to 2.5% over a period of time.  We are expecting a rise of health budget from 1.5% to 3% in this year.

IMA has noticed that most of the preventive health is divided in many Ministries like Nutrition is taken care by Women & Child Development, Road Traffic by Ministry of Surface & Transport, Rural Health by Ministry of Rural & Urban Development, Soil handled by Ministry of Earth & Sciences, Environment by Ministry of Environment, Military Department by Finance Ministry, Employers Health by Labour Ministry, Mediclaim Scheme by  Insurance Industry, Swachh Bharat by Swachh Bharat Initiative, Pharmaceutical by Chemicals and Fertilizers Ministry, Alcohol & Drug Addiction by Social & Welfare Department.

All these ministries are doing basically work for the Health Ministry in different heads but their  budget never set consolidated under one head.  IMA feels that a separate department in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare should be created where Inter Ministerial co-ordination should be held under one roof and  their budgets are taken into consideration together for prevention.

IMA is aware that last year similar effort was made where the Government by introducing the concept of “One Health” joined the services of the Agricultural Ministry (Plant Health), Environment Ministry, (Environmental Health),  animal health (Agricultural Ministry), human health  (Ministry of Health)

Those doctors who are posted in difficult and tribal areas in villages, they can be given extra rural allowance and income tax free salary so that they can be posted & go to villages in those areas and a kind of small township be created where all Govt. employees can stay & live happily.

GST should be rationalized in the health section though the GST is not applicable to health care  but all the goods related to health care attracts GST and cannot be  adjusted therefore  the treatment has becoming costlier to the patient.

This aspect may kindly be looked into.

We would like yourself to  give us an audience so that representatives of IMA can come and discuss with you or your subordinate

Prof Dr Ravi WankhedkarConsulting Surgeon & Coloproctologist

National President  IMA -2018