The budget presented by the honourable Chief Minister for this year seems very balanced, taking into consideration the fact that there was a significant impact of Covid and natural calamities during the year.
As far as healthcare aspects are concerned, there is an increase in allocation from 4 per cent to 5 per cent this year, and the focus is on primary care, preventive care, rural health, children’s nutrition and maternal well-being.
The development of aspirational taluks, with emphasis on upgradation of primary health centres and also taluk hospitals would help in delivery of healthcare in rural areas, which is the backbone of our country. Nutrition of children is another very important aspect, as detection and treatment of childhood nutrition would save many lives.
The emphasis on detection of non-communicable diseases at Namma Clinics is an important step forward, as non-communicable diseases are now the leading cause of death in our country. The other important aspects of the budget that deserve mention are extension of the free dialysis scheme from 30,000 to 60,000 dialysis per month, which will help a large number of patients with kidney failure from the socio-economically weaker sections of society.
The plan to map cardiovascular diseases in many taluks, in association with the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology, will help tackle the significant problem of cardiovascular diseases in our population. The proposal to organise mental health programmes in association with Nimhans in various districts is a welcome move, since mental health issues have grown exponentially during the pandemic.
Proposals to provide essential life-saving health services through the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust, mobile clinics in some districts to provide rural care, Shuchi scheme to promote menstrual health, requisitioning services of specialists from medical universities for rural healthcare and providing eye care for senior citizens below the poverty line are commendable measures. Focus on the much-needed organ donation is a welcome move, as is the move to promote air ambulances, which saved many lives during the corona pandemic.
Dr Sudarshan Ballal
Chairman, Manipal Hospitals Group