CHENNAI: The reduction in fund allocation for health and family welfare by over Rs 1,000 crore, especially amid the pandemic, is worrisome said experts. The allocation for the Health and Family Welfare Department this year is Rs 17,901.73 crore as against Rs 18,931.60 crore in 2021-2022.
In February 2021-2022, AIADMK allocated Rs 19,420 crore for the department and this was reduced by Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan when he presented DMK’s first budget in August. He had allocated Rs 18,931 crore. Now he has further reduced it.
The pandemic is still not over and the health department needs more fund allocation, said Dr A R Shanthi, Secretary, Doctors Association for Social Equality. “Due to Covid-19 all other programmes were affected as controlling the pandemic was given priority.”
“So, those programmes now need more funds. Also, funds for Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme has also been reduced. This is a very important scheme and reducing funds for it is not good,” said Dr Shanthi. In August, the finance minister had allocated Rs 959.20 crore for Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme and this year the allocation is just Rs 817 crore.
Dr K Senthil, President, Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association is hopeful that the government will increase allocation in the next budget. Not only the Health and Family Welfare Department, some other departments also saw cuts. A public health expert said, a decrease of Rs 1,000 crore is not acceptable. Since cost of medicine has increased and there is a need to spend more on manpower due to Covid-19, the cut feels more like Rs 2,000 crore.
