NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has hiked the plan expenditure for the health sector by 45 per cent in this year’s budget, which allocated Rs 4,787 crore for the sector and proposed to add 10,000 new hospital beds.
In the Rs 4,787 crore allocation for the health sector, the plan budget is Rs 3,138 crore which is 45 per cent more than the last year’s plan expenditure which was at Rs 2,164 crore.
Poor infrastructure and lack of staff had affected the quality of health services in the national capital.
On June 22, around 2,000 doctors of 20 hospitals launched an indefinite strike, demanding adequate life saving drugs, security at workplace and timely payment of their salaries.
The doctors were demanding adequate generic and life saving drugs, security at workplace, fixed duty hours and timely payment of their salaries. In February, resident doctors had gone on a day-long strike over similar issues.
The budget allocation is expected to improve the condition of hospitals.
Three new hospitals with total bed capacity of 1,800 are planned at Nangloi, Siraspur and Madipur, said Delhi Finance Minister Manish Sisodia as he tabled Delhi’s budget for the financial year 2015-16 in the Assembly.
To match the hospital bed requirement with the population of Delhi, the government has proposed to enhance the capacity of hospitals.
As part of which, the capacity of hospital-cum-medical college at Dwarka has been proposed to increase from 700 beds 1,500 beds.
“The capacity of new hospital complex at Burari, planned for 200 beds, will now be increased to 800 beds,” said Sisodia.
Similarly, the new hospital complex under construction at Ambedkar Nagar, originally planned for 200 beds, will now have 600 beds.
Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital at Ashok Vihar, originally planned for 200 beds, will now have 400 beds capacity.
The minister said that the Government is planning to purchase ten new plots at Mehrauli, Mahipalpur, Pitampura, Mandwali-Fazalpur, Geeta Colony, Pandav Nagar, and Dwarka from DDA for augmenting the health infrastructure.
“There is a plan to remodel and upgrade 11 existing hospitals so as to add 4,000 more beds in next two years. A Budget provision of Rs 210 crore is proposed in the current financial year for the purchase of plots,” he said.
To boost the health care, Delhi government is also planning to set up “Mohalla Clinics” in all parts of Delhi.
“About 500 such clinics will be opened in the current financial year. Five centralized labs with modern facility will be set up in North, South, East, West and Central Delhi during current financial year to provide diagnostic services to the patients visiting Mohalla Clinic.
“A budget provision of Rs 125 crore is proposed for augmenting the primary health care facilities proposed to be delivered through Mohalla Clinic,” said Sisodia.
The PPP project for providing free dialysis to poor patients suffering from kidney failure with 40 units has been made functional at Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital and Lok Nayak Hospital. Further, 35 more units will be setup in the current financial year.
Besides, the existing fleet of CAT Ambulances is proposed to be enhanced by 100 basic and 10 advanced standard life support ambulances.
Government is planning to set up an Advance Trauma Care Centre in LN hospital especially for sports injury rehabilitation with 100 trauma beds including ICU and OT facilities.
In addition to the present health facilities, free medicine will be provided to the citizens of Delhi through charitable clinics and dispensaries. All medicines, consumable items and medical and surgical equipments will be purchased through Centralized Procurement Agency.
“This not only seeks to reduce cost of purchase but also to eliminate corruption and misappropriation of funds,” said Sisodia. -PTI
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