Health ministry objects to Plan Com draft paper for the sector

Insisting that public spending on health be pegged at least at 2.5 per cent of the GDP, the ministry has said the same should further be enhanced to 2.85 per cent of the GDP by the end of the plan.

The plan panel has suggested merely 1.58 per cent of the GDP spending on health during the 12th Plan.

"We have told the Planning Commission that our endeavour should be to reach 2.5 per cent of the GDP target for public spending on health which should be gradually increased to 2.85 per cent by the end of the plan period," a senior Health Ministry official told PTI.

Voicing concerns over the Plan panel's draft paper on health for the 12th plan, the ministry has sought strengthening of the public health system, red flagging the panel's stress on private sector involvement for health care delivery.

"We should not abdicate our responsibility to the private sector without strengthening the public health system. Health care delivery should depend more on public health infrastructure, with the private sector only supplementing it," the Health Ministry has said in its note to the Planning Commission.

The note further points out, "the public health system is suffering due to under investment resulting in poor infrastructure and health capacity across the country. The focus in the 12th Plan should be to strengthen the public health system". MORE