Hike health expenditure to tackle Covid-19 pandemic: SP tells govt

Samajwadi Party MP, Prof Ram Gopal Yadav has demanded a hike in the budget of the health ministry and infrastructure to tackle the future challenges of Covid pandemic in the country.

New Delhi: Taking a jibe against the Centre's mishandling of Covid pandemic, Samajwadi Party MP, Prof Ram Gopal Yadav said Indians are led to poverty as they have been paying hospital charges from their own pockets amid the Covid pandemic. Making this remark during a discussion on the Covid-19 pandemic in Rajya Sabha, he demanded a hike in the budget of the health ministry and infrastructure to tackle the challenges in future.

Even before the Budget, Nirmala Sitharaman was suggested to raise the health expenditure. The current health budget is fake and the actual allocation is only Rs 72,000 crores. Other departments have also been added in the health sector in the Budget, said Yadav.

If there was proper health infrastructure, many lives could have been saved, he said and urged the government to increase health expenditure and develop infrastructure.

Following a stormy session of Parliament on July 19 over the Pegasus snooping row, the Opposition's furore in both Houses continued on Tuesday too. Rajya Sabha was adjourned thrice. The session would conclude on August 13. A total of 31 bills are proposed to be introduced in Parliament.