Increase health budget to 6% of GDP, demands PMA

"The budget for the health sector is less than one per cent and the government does not want to improve it

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has demanded that the government increase the health budget to six per cent of the GDP.

During a meeting at PMA House on Sunday, members from different provinces discussed the deteriorated health facilities, the provision of healthcare, issues of patients and doctors, lack of governance, corruption and health sector policy.

"The budget for the health sector is less than one per cent. It is pathetic that the government does not want to improve it," said PMA treasurer Dr Qaisar Sajjad, adding that the association wanted the government to ensure proper budget allocation. "The government has always spent millions of rupees on the curative side instead of the preventive side, which could save several lives."

Speakers at the meeting urged the government to focus on prevention, pointing out that clean drinking water could reduce gastroenterological diseases by up to 70 per cent while immunisation could keep diseases such as tuberculosis, polio, hepatitis, pneumonia, meningitis, whooping cough and diphtheria under control.

They also requested the government to establish special counters providing free medicines to elderly patients. They further asked the government to revise the pay-scale of doctors throughout the country, adding that doctors working in far-flung areas should receive extra incentives.

"There is always an extra burden on the three major hospitals of Karachi," Dr Sajjad said. "Has the government ever considered building new hospitals and a new laboratory in the city? Those who cannot afford anything else rely on these government hospitals." He added that public sector hospitals should provide free treatment to citizens.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2015.