India lags behind in health sector than many countries, says Pranab Mukherjee

KOLKATA - Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday said that India lags behind in health sector than many developed and underdeveloped nations.

Addressing media after inaugurating a charitable hospital here, Mukherjee said: “We are lagging far behind in the health sector than the developed countries and even than the underdeveloped nations in some cases.”

“The money, what we spend for the health sector per head, is very little. If we decide to spend 10 percent of the national income in the education and health sectors, we can spend Rs.6, 900 billion in the year,” he added.

According to statistics, nearly one million Indians die every year because of inadequate health services, especially in rural areas.

The country with a population nearly 1.2 billion also has the highest number of HIV cases along with South Africa and Nigeria.

According to recently published reports by the World Bank and other agencies, India will have to scale up prevention of HIV. (ANI)