Praja Arogya Vedika urges Andhra Pradesh government to increase health budget to 6% of GSDP for better healthcare

This year, diarrhoea outbreak, caused by contaminated water, underscores the urgent need for the government to provide safe drinking water to all citizens, says Praja Arogya Vedika
| Photo Credit: File photo

The Praja Arogya Vedika (PAV) has appealed to the State government to consider increasing the budget on health to 6% of Gross State Demostic Product (GSDP) and allocate funds for health infrastructure, personnel, and medicines. Investing in health will ensure a healthier and more prosperous future for the people of the State.

In a letter to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, PAV general secretary T. Kameswara Rao and president M.V. Ramanaiah said that PAV during the medical camps conducted in rural, urban and tribal regions of Andhra Pradesh and its interactions with people found alarming facts about the health status of the people.

A high prevalence of anaemia among children below five years and women, as well as widespread viral attacks, body pains, headache, joint pains, skin diseases, sickle cell anaemia, thalassemia, blood pressure and blood sugar was observed. The Infant Mortality Rate, Maternal Mortality Rate, and Under Five Mortality are higher in Andhra Pradesh compared to three other southern States. For instance, Andhra Pradesh has an infant mortality rate of 24, whereas the infant mortality rate is 16, 9, and 10 respectively in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The prevalence of anaemia among children aged 6-59 months increased from 59% during National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) to 63% during NFHS-5.

This year, diarrhoea outbreak, caused by contaminated water, underscores the urgent need for the government to provide safe drinking water to all citizens. The government should come up with a plan to ensure safe drinking water for all. The PAV leaders also sought establishment of hospitals similar to Government Cancer Hospital and childrens’ super speciality hospitals, like MNJ Hospital and Niloufer Hospital in Telangana, to provide specialised care to the people of Andhra Pradesh.

The Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) should be developed to the standards of NIMS Hyderabad to significantly improve healthcare services in the region. In view of the tremendous increase in healthcare costs, many households are compelled to borrow to meet medical expenses, leading to an increase in household debt burden. The current expenditure on health is below 2% of the GSDP, which is significantly lower than the recommended 6%. Increasing the budget allocation to 6% would enable the State to provide better healthcare facilities, reduce out-of-pocket expenses for households, and improve health outcomes.