New Delhi:
The government's expenditure on health services has increased continuously over the years and the target is to raise it to 2.5 per cent of the country's GDP by 2025, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan told the Rajya Sabha Tuesday.
In reply to a query during Question Hour, he said the experience of last 10 years shows that with every passing year, the public expenditure on health services is "continuously increasing".
The minister informed that the National Health Policy 2017 envisages increasing the public health expenditure to 2.5 per cent of the GDP by 2025.
The policy recommends that State governments should spend more than 8 per cent of their budget on the health sector by 2020.
Replying to supplementaries, the minister said the government proposes to set up 1.5 lakh health and wellness centres by 2022 under the Aayushman Bharat programme. Of this 18,000-19,000 have already been established, he said.
These centres will boost healthcare facilities in the rural as well as Urban areas.
In a written reply, Vardhan said the government announced 4 per cent health and education cess in place of 3 per cent education cess on personal income tax and corporation tax to cater to the education and health needs of poor and rural families.
In addition, he said the Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA) has started supporting the infrastructure works of medical institutions.
Meanwhile,the Government Tuesday introduced in the Lok Sabha a bill providing for supersession of Medical Council of India for a period of two years with effect from September 26, 2018.
The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2019, was introduced by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan in the lower house to replace an Ordinance promulgated on February 21, 2019
Introducing the Bill, Vardhan said in the last two decades, a perception was built that MCI has been unsuccesful in discharging its duties and that corrupt practices are prevalent in the regulatory body.
The minister also said the government proposes to bring the National Medical Commission Bill in the near future after getting it cleared from the Cabinet.
"Although the National Medical Commission Bill could be introduced in near future but to have legal continuity every Ordinance has to be converted into a law," he stressed.
The move aims to ensure transparency, accountability and quality in the governance of medical education in the country.
The Bill also proposes to increase the number of members in the board of Governors to 12 from the existing 7.
The Health Ministry had come across certain arbitrary action by the MCI in disregard to the provision of IMC Act and regulations.