Govt to increase expenditure to improve healthcare

New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) Admitting that inadequacies in existing health infrastructure have led to gaps in coverage and outreach services in rural areas, the Economic Survey said efforts would be made for improvement in healthcare as it was crucial for reaping the demographic dividend, having healthy productive workforce and general welfare.

The Economic Survey-2006-07 laid in the Lok Sabha said annual population growth was expected to decelerate from 1.6 per cent in the five year ending in 2006 to 0.9 per cent in the five year ending 2026.

India's population, which is estimated to have gone up from the Census 2001 figure of 1,029 million to 1,112 million in 2026 is projected to increase to 1400 million by 2026.

It said the 'demographic dividend' would manifest in the working age group population between 15-64 years increasing steadily from 62.9 per cent in 2006 to 68.4 per cent in 2026. He said that population stabilsation could be achieved by addressing issues like child survival, safe motherhood and contraception.

Admitting that eventhough there has been improvement in the quality of health care over the years, wider inter-state, male female and rural-urban disparities continue to persist, the survey said through education, income and overall quality of administation the inadequacies in healthcare could be reduced.

The outlay under National Rural Health Mission gone up by 23 per cent from Rs 6,731 crore in 2005-6 to Rs 11,505 crore in 2006-07. It envisages for accessible, affordable, accountable, effective and reliable primary health care facilities especially to the poor and vulnerable sections of the population.

Though there has been a steady increase in health care infrastructure available there was a shortage of 19,269 Sub Centres, 4,337 Primary Health Centres and 3206 community health centres.

Coverage of immunization has improved from 52.8 per cent for full immunization in 2000-1 TO 54.5 per cent during 2004-05. Six lakh women have benefitted from Janani Suraksha Yojana during 2006-07 while total number of JSY beneficiaries have reached upto 12 lakh.

UNI