Delhi govt hikes health Budget

In Delhi Budget 2017-18, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has allocated Rs 5,736 crore for the healthcare, a marginal increase of Rs 517 crore from last year's Rs 5,259 crore.

With focus on primary healthcare, the government is set to increase the number of mohalla clinics. Currently, 110 such clinics are functional across Delhi. The government had earlier promised to increase the number to 1,000 by the end of 2016.

Apart from that, 23 polyclinics with clinics of doctors from various specialities are also functional. "By the end of this year, there will be 150 mohalla clinics and 150 polyclinics by the end of 2018," said deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

He also said that work is going on to increase the number of beds to 20,000. This will be done by adding seven hospitals and remodelling 10 existing hospitals. Currently, there are 10,820 beds in Delhi government hospitals. Presenting the Budget in the Assembly, deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said: "Healthcare is the next priority of the Delhi government after education. Our government aims that the citizens of Delhi may not feel insecure in the event of their illness. They may not have to fear about hospital bills or availability of facilities."

Praising the 'three-tier public health set up, Sisodia said: "The government is processing tenders for setting up 1,000 mohalla clinics by the end of next financial year which will form the first tier of its public health system and work."

The second tier comprises polyclinics, where specialists will be available for all diseases. Medicines and diagnostics will be free but without any indoor facilities.

The third tier will be hospitals and these are being re-modelled even as new institutions are to be set up. These reforms would provide an additional 10,000 hospital beds in Delhi over the next 18 months, said Sisodia.

In addition, three hospitals at Burari, Ambedkar Nagar and Dwarka are under construction and another four hospitals are to be established at Sarita Vihar, Nangloi, Madipur and Siraspur, which will further add 5,000 more beds through these seven new hospitals. "Our aim is to make the first two tiers (mohalla clinics and polyclinics) handle the minor cases, so that the burden on hospitals will be reduced," said Sisodia. This move will improve the efficiency of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff, he added. The government is also working on schemes for issuing of health cards and to provide insurance to every citizen of Delhi. An outlay of Rs 20 crore is proposed for these schemes. Pointing out that diagnostics is an important aspect of healthcare, Sisodia said the government is planning to expand and enhance its capacities in this area. It has proposed an outlay of Rs 15 crore, with Rs 10 crore for Tele Radiology and Rs 5 crore for CT/MRI facilities to be set up in the PPP mode. Furthermore, those patients who are undergoing medical treatment in government hospitals and having much awaited period for the treatment, will be referred to 41 private hospitals, having NABH accreditation, for quality treatment in 30 critical and life saving surgeries.

In a motivation to Samaritans, the Delhi government has decided to honour those who help to rush road accident victims to hospitals for treatment and save the life. Samaritans will be cash awarded Rs 2,000 and an appreciation letter from the government.

The Deputy CM said total expenditure of Rs 5,736 crore on health in 2017-18. This includes revenue budget of Rs 5,048 crore and capital Budget of Rs 688 crore. Moreover, an amount of Rs 2,626 crore has been earmarked for implementation of various schemes, programmes and projects under the health sector.

In a Women's Day gift, the AAP government has announced reduction in tax on sanitary napkins from 12.5 percent to 5 percent.

Citing the government's concern for hygiene of women, Sisodia made the announcement in the Budget for 2017-18. While sanitary napkins costing Rs 20 have been made tax free, those priced above will attract a reduced tax of 5 percent.

"Sanitary napkins up to Rs 20 will be tax free. In case of their cost being above Rs 20, the government proposes to reduce the tax rate from 12.5 percent to just 5 percent keeping in view the concern about hygiene of women," Sisodia said in Delhi Assembly.

The Budget has also proposed setting up five de-addiction centres for juveniles in the city.