With the COVID-19 pandemic receding, the State’s focus has now shifted towards tertiary and secondary healthcare. The State Budget on Friday did not spell out any vision on preparedness for pandemic control in the future.
Despite COVID-19 impacting every walk of life, there is no additional focus on disease surveillance, prevention and control of future pandemics in the Budget. Although there is a slight increase in allocation for the health sector from last year’s 4% (₹11,908 crore) to 5% (₹13,982 crore) this year, the focus is on strengthening secondary and tertiary care.
An expert, involved with the State Government in the management of COVID -19, said the State’s experience in battling the pandemic, especially during the second wave, has not had any major impact on both allocation and planning for future pandemics. “The situation was disappointing last year too when expectations were high in terms of allocations for healthcare. The Budget should have had a long-term vision involving a systemic regular surveillance for detection of emerging pathogens,” said the expert, who did not want to be quoted.
“This surveillance can be done by monitoring all acute fevers in sentinel sites. Samples that test negative for the known list of pathogens should be considered for next generation sequencing. Early detection and effective management of disease outbreaks in the future will depend on this,” he explained.
However, C.N. Manjunath, director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences who is also a member of the State’s Clinical Experts Committee, said over ₹2,000 crore has been spent towards COVID care as well as strengthening ICU facilities, oxygen infrastructure, and lab services during the pandemic. “The need of the hour is a renewed focus on secondary and tertiary care,” he said.
“The emphasis on detection of non-communicable diseases at the “Namma Clinics” is a very important step forward as non-communicable diseases are now the leading cause of death in our country,” he said.
Terming the budget as “balanced under the current circumstances”, Sudarshan Ballal, chairman, Manipal Hospitals, who is also a member of the State’s COVID-19 expert committee, said the focus on the much needed organ donation, rural and mental healthcare is a welcome move. “As the saying goes the proof of the pudding is in eating it and implementation of the budgetary proposals would be the key and needs to be monitored closely,” he said.
