The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Planning Commission to strive for increasing public expenditure on health

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 28, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Planning Commission to strive for increasing public expenditure on health

Special Correspondent

Key task will be to set up PHCs in areas where they do not exist: Ahluwalia

HONOURED: Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University Chancellor Surjit Singh Barnala confers the Doctor of Science (honoris causa) degree on Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, at the 16th convocation in Chennai on Tuesd ay. Health Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran (third from right), is in the picture. — Photo: V. Ganesan

CHENNAI: The Planning Commission is evolving ways to increase the scale of public expenditure on health by the Centre and States put together to at least 2 per cent of the GDP during the 11th Five year Plan, its Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said here on Tuesday.

The proposed expansion could take different forms, including through public sector primary health centres, community health centres at the block level, a public subsidy on the premium for basic health insurance and the National Rural Health Mission.

Elaborating on a workable health sector strategy as a critical element of the larger strategy for inclusive growth, Mr. Ahluwalia said a key task would be to set up PHCs in areas where they did not exist and expand the bed strength in block-level and district hospitals.

He was addressing the 16th convocation of Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, after he was conferred the title of Doctor of Science (honoris causa). Health insurance was an underdeveloped sector in India. There were many problems, which needed to be tackled to encourage a healthy growth of the industry.

He suggested that public funds would also have to be diverted for providing subsidies on the premium for basic health insurance.

Acknowledging that private sector medical care, however highly advanced, could never be a substitute for a strong public health care system, Mr. Ahluwalia also made out a case for encouraging strong public-private partnership to expand affordable access to health care.

Strengthening preventive and public health interventions and improving sanitation and clean drinking water were as important as expanding access to and improving the quality of medical services in the country.

Honoured

Mayilvahanan Natarajan, head of the department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Madras Medical College and Government General Hospital, was also awarded the Doctor of Science (honoris causa) for his contributions towards revolutionising the treatment of bone cancer by avoiding amputation and fitting indigenous prosthesis.

CMK Reddy was recognised for his contributions to vascular surgery and promoting medical ethics.

Varsity Vice-Chancellor Meer Mustafa Hussain presented the annual report and read out the citations for the Doctor of Science (honoris causa) awards.

Chancellor and Governor Surjit Singh Barnala guided the proceedings. Health Minister KKSSR Ramachandran spoke.

A total of 8755 graduands were awarded degrees and diplomas during the convocation including 53 candidates who received the Ph.D. degree.

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