Health budget up by 287pc

LAHORE:The Punjab government has increased health sector’s budget by 287.07 percent with allocation of an amount of Rs130.102 billion under Annual Development Programme 2021-22 as compared to previous year’s combined allocation of Rs33.612 billion for bifurcated departments of health sector ending on June 30, 2021.

This year’s development budget for health sector registered an increase of Rs96.49 billion from previous year’s development program under ADP-2020-21.The health sector budget has been split between Central Punjab and South Punjab with allocations of Rs95.912 billion and Rs34.19 billion respectively. Out of Rs95.912 billion for Central Punjab, the budget has been divided with allocations of Rs78.7 billion for SHC&ME Department and Rs17.212 billion for Primary and Secondary Healthcare (P&SH) Department.

Similarly, out of Rs34.19 billion for South Punjab, the budget has been divided with allocations of Rs28.304 billion for SHC&ME Department and Rs5.886 billion for P&SH Department.

Out of the overall health sector budget of Rs130.102 billion for Punjab (Central and South), major chunk of Rs107.004 billion for SHC&ME Department and Rs 23.098 was earmarked for P&SH Department. For Central Punjab, SHC&ME Department’s share of Rs78.7 billion will be segregated by expending Rs12.276 billion on 42 ongoing schemes, Rs64.424 billion for 26 new schemes and Rs2 billion for one scheme under Other Department Programme during financial year 2021-22. Out of 42 ongoing schemes, Rs1.1199b will be spent on seven schemes under medical education, Rs193.8 million on four schemes of Specialized Healthcare and Miscellaneous and Rs10.9621 billion on 31 schemes of Tertiary Care Hospitals. Out of 26 new schemes, Rs650 million will be spent on four schemes under medical education, Rs 60.2261 billion on five schemes of Specialised Healthcare and Miscellaneous, Rs 3.5048 billion on 16 schemes of Tertiary Care Hospitals and Rs43 million on a single scheme under District Development Package.