Health care sector not given priority required: Dr Reddy

Madurai, Feb 15 (PTI): Apollo Hospitals Chairman Dr PratapC Reddy today said the health care sector in India has notbeen given the priority it required in budgets of variousgovernments.

"Though the country has controlled infectious diseases, thenumber of people affected by diabetes and cardiac problems hasincreased. But no budget allocation has been made to take careof people affected by such problems," he told reporters here.

Stating that number of beds should go up by 10 lakh eachyear in the country, he said the health care industry had vastpotential to grow, if number of doctors are doubled and nursestripled. "Health care industries can contribute to GDP growthin a big way as it will provide millions of jobs," he said.

He also suggested that government slap sales tax on junkfood as they cause heart problem and diabetes. The revenueearned could be used to develop hospitals and increase bedstrength in government hospitals.

Dr Reddy said Appollo Hospitals had performed 98,000 heartsurgeries so far with a 98 per cent success rate. The hospitalplanned to soon start its Mumbai operations, after which''Reach hospitals'' would be started in Tier II and III cities.

It also planned to expand in a big way in south Tamil Nadu,he added PTI SSN APR