Correction:
A previous version of this story incorrectly said that national spending for New Delhi’s health budget is about $3 billion annually. The actual amount is $20 billion. This story has been corrected.
India plans big increase in health-care spending to catch up to rivalsView Photo Gallery — ?As other developing countries race ahead of India in improving health care, the country announced it plans to increase health-care spending.Text SizePrintE-mailReprints By Rama Lakshmi,NEW DELHI —With its health-care system increasingly eclipsed by rivals, India has a plan to nearly double public spending on health over the next five years, with the goal of eventually making medical care free for all Indians.
It is an ambitious goal, and the kind of investment many experts have been advocating for decades. But already critics are wondering if the government will live up to its promise, or if throwing money at the problem without reforming the health-care delivery system from top to bottom will make much of a difference.
Loading...CommentsWeigh InCorrections?In recent years, India has watched with alarm as countries such as China, Egypt, Mexico and Brazil raced ahead, and as its performance on child health and infant mortality was overtaken even by much of sub-Saharan Africa.
The planned budget increase would lift annual spending on health to 2.5 percent of the country’s economic output, from a current 1.4 percent. The increase is aimed at giving free medicine to all Indians at government facilities, setting up free ambulances in rural areas, doubling the number of trained health workers, and lifting millions of young children and women out of chronic malnutrition and preventable deaths.
“In the past five years, other emerging economies like Brazil, Mexico, Malaysia have marched ahead on basic public health indicators,” said Amarjeet Sinha, a senior health official in the northern state of Bihar, who helped design India’s rural health program. “Just two decades ago, we were all in the same place. It’s a shame that we got left behind in our health performance despite our economic progress.”
With a rapidly growing young population, India urgently needs to harness the energy of its youth by creating jobs and improving their health care, or it will squander the gains of its recent economic boom, analysts say.
A newborn baby dies every 20 seconds in India and four out of 10 children are malnourished. Last month, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called the state of the health-care system a “national shame.”
“In the years to come, these children will join our workforce as scientists, farmers, teachers, data operators, artisans and service providers,” Singh said, releasing a report by an anti-hunger and anti-malnutrition advocacy group Hungama. “We cannot hope for a healthy future for our country with a large number of malnourished children.”
The proposed hike in New Delhi’s health budget, from a current national allocation of a little more than $20 billion annually, was first discussed almost a decade ago, but bureaucratic delays and a lack of political will delayed the decision to go ahead.
Misspent money
Critics say Singh’s government has a habit of throwing money at problems without reforming basic delivery systems to ensure that the money reaches those it is meant for. Already, India spends $7.8 billion every year on one of the largest rural job guarantee programs in the world. It is also planning a $20 billion program to make food accessible to millions of poor. Much of the money ends up in the pockets of local officials, or lost in poor implementation.
Continued12Next PageEmailTumblrRedditStumbleuponDiggDeliciousDiscussion Policy | FAQ | About DiscussionsLoading...CommentsAdd your commentRead about the changes to comment thread appearance, moderation. Read what others are sayingAbout Badges SuperFan Badge
SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.
More about badges | Request a badge Culture Connoisseur BadgeCulture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.
More about badges | Request a badge Fact Checker BadgeFact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.
More about badges | Request a badge Washingtologist BadgeWashingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.
More about badges | Request a badge Post Writer BadgeThis commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.
Post Forum BadgePost Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.
More about badges | Request a badge Weather Watcher BadgeWeather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.
More about badges | Request a badge World Watcher BadgeWorld Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.
More about badges | Request a badge Post RecommendedWashington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.
You must be logged in to report a comment.
Sign in hereYou must be logged in to recommend a comment.
Sign in hereComments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.
All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.
More about badgesGet a badgeTo pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.
Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers. + SHARE THIS DEBATE The Post Most: WorldMost-viewed stories, videos and galleries int he past two hoursMost PopularIn Iraq, growing gap sets Kurdistan apartInvisible Children responds to criticism about 'Stop Kony' campaignTop Afghan Taliban leaders at Guantanamo Bay prison agree to proposed transfer to QatarShock as quiet home of Islam in Nigeria becomes scene of failed rescue that killed hostagesInvisible Children founders posing with guns: an interview with the photographerTop VideosWho is Joseph Kony? (3:53)American Airlines jet delayed by 'altercation' (0:47)Tomioka, Japan: Population one (1:14)Iranian boats shadow U.S. aircraft carrier (1:28)A trip to Japan's nuclear ghost townTop GalleriesNow and then in JapanJapan's disasterThe Lord's Resistance ArmySyrian crackdown continuesDemonstrations follow Putin's presidential winThe Post's Foreign Bureaus
Mexico City
Bogota
London
Paris
Nairobi
Cairo
Baghdad
Jerusalem
Moscow
Kabul
Tehran
Islamabad
New Delhi
Beijing
Hong Kong
Tokyo
Berlin
View all correspondents by bureau WP Social Reader Hide this Friends' Activity Most Popular in world Most Popular in worldMost Popular Right Now
Your Friends’ Most Recent Activity
View More ActivityPowered byFeatured Advertiser Links for L U N G C A N C E R V I C T I M S>>HIP REPLACEMENT -- did you get one after '03?>>Help Barack stand up for working Americans. Join our campaign now.>>The only candidate fighting for the middle class: Pres. Obama. Join us.>>Sign up for email updates from President Obama's 2012 campaign.>>Sign up for official email updates from Barack Obama's campaign.>>Looking to buy a home? Visit TWP Real Estate section for the latest open houses.>>Make Your Vanguard Investing More Profitable - Free Research Report Reveals Best & Worst Funds>>Top world Stories People Also ReadMost Popular VideosIn Iraq, growing gap sets Kurdistan apartErnesto Londo Invisible Children responds to criticism about ‘Stop Kony’ campaignElizabeth Flock Top Afghan Taliban leaders at Guantanamo Bay prison agree to proposed transfer to QatarAssociated Press Shock as quiet home of Islam in Nigeria becomes scene of failed rescue that killed hostagesAssociated Press Invisible Children founders posing with guns: an interview with the photographerElizabeth Flock Solar flare, the northern lights and Japan one year later: Morning roundupElizabeth Flock Ugandans criticize anti-Kony video campaign sensation for simplifying a complicated historyAssociated Press Ship runs aground off Norway’s southwest coast, authorities checking for oil leaksAssociated Press Italian tanker runs aground in stormy seas off Sicily; helicopters rescue crew of 19Associated Press Entire Pacific nation of Kiribati could one day move to Fiji to escape climate changeAssociated Press Chinese official speaks out as rumors, intrigue swirlKeith B. Richburg Slovak police fire tear gas to disperse anti-corruption protesters outside parliamentAssociated Press Pakistan names new spymasterRichard Leiby; Karen Deyoung In secular Britain, a clash over public prayerAnthony Faiola Pink slime photo isn’t what it appears to beElizabeth Flock ‘Pink slime’ in school lunches: Government is buying 7 million pounds worthElizabeth Flock Kony 2012 campaign gets support of Obama, othersElizabeth Flock Rush Limbaugh defends violent Lord’s Resistance Army; survivor respondsElizabeth Flock Iran fact sheet: Nuclear advances but no confirmed weapon steps despite suspicionsAssociated Press Israeli airstrikes kill 15 militants, rockets fly in worst Gaza violence in a yearAssociated Press Ways you can get us Mobile Apps Newsletter & alerts RSS Post Store Facebook Photo Store Twitter Washington Post Live The Washington Post Work for us Community Relations PostPoints Corrections/Suggestions Archive Contact the Ombudsman Report a problem Web site Make us your homepage Digital Guidelines Ask The Post Newspaper Subscribe Home delivery service e-Replica Advertise In the newspaper On the web site Mobile Events The Washington Post Company Post Company web sites Partners Slate Express Night Out Captial Business El Tiempo Latino The Root Foreign Policy Trove Post Tickets Capitol Deal Service Alley Post Master Class WP Live Student Advisor College Reviews © 1996- The Washington Post Terms of Service Privacy Policy Reprints and Permissions RSS Terms of Service Help Contact Us Ad Choices Section:/world/asia_pacific
No comments:
Post a Comment