GUWAHATI: An extraordinary 137% increase in
budget outlay for health and Rs 35,000 crore allocation for Covid-19 vaccine has ushered in a ray of hope for the health sector in
Assam, where
specialized healthcare in many district peripheries is still a distant dream.
Health experts here said it’s now high time to build specialized treatment facilities in the rural areas with the enhanced budgetary allocation for health.
While state health minister
Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked PM and FM for the health allocations, the Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) Assam chapter has pressed the government for covering more workers from the non-government healthcare institutions under vaccination drive. “My compliments to Hon PM Sri @narendramodi and FM Smt @nsitharaman for a generous booster dose for health,” Himanta tweeted.
The ongoing first phase
Covid vaccination drive is mostly benefiting the government health staff, though the government of late has given some priority to the private hospitals as well. “We are expecting a major boost to Assam’s health sector from the increased budget outlay. Health infrastructure in the periphery hospitals, located away from the towns and cities, must be improved. Operation theatres, blood banks and equipment should be added for better healthcare there. Mere hospital buildings are not enough. Specialized doctors are finding it hard to operate from rural areas due to lack of hospital infrastructure and returning after two-four months of getting posted,” said honorary state secretary of IMA, Assam, Dr Hemanga Baishya.
He added that the financial boost given to Covid vaccination should equally benefit the government and private healthcare institutions. “We have no problem in government prioritizing its own health staff during vaccination. But some private hospitals are also in dire need of Covid vaccine. The private practitioners, single chamber doctors amd nursing home officials should not lag behind,” said Baishya.
General secretary of Assam Medical Service Association Dr Kanak Chandra Talukdar said improving ambulance and other emergency services should be top priority but handling human resources is also crucial in case of Assam. "Time-scale pay should be implemented for doctors under the state government immediately. Many senior doctors decided to take voluntary retirement for private practice due to payment issues,” he added.
Assam director of medical education Dr Anup Kumar Barman said, “Expediting civil construction in the medical sector and equipment procurement needs more funds in Assam. Existing medical colleges should get an infrastructure boost as their numbers are going up.”