Dip in health expenditure over last decade, CB says
View(s):The 2012 Central Bank (CB) report reflects a sharp drop in total health expenditure as a proportion of GDP over the last decade.
Health expenditure as a percentage of GDP stands at 1.31 per cent as at 2012 compared to 1.51 per cent in 2003 dropping by 0.20 per cent over a 10 year period.
However there has been an upward trend in absolute expenditure in recent years with a four fold increase in current expenditure from 2003-2012 and an increase by 215 per cent in capital expenditure during the same period.
The report noted that “the government is committed to adopting a health policy which is directed at consolidating gains achieved while proposing measures to enhance equitable access to health care services”. The broad aims of the present government’s health policy included further” increasing life expectancy” and improving health care access to rural areas especially former conflict and disaster areas in line with the “Mahinda Chintanaya”.
The report highlighted remarkable progress in health service delivery with a 105 per cent increase in the number of qualified doctors and a 78 per cent increase in qualified nurses in the state health sector between 2003 and 2012. During 2012, 3,266 new supportive health workers were recruited in order to strengthen health sector service providers.
Yet the report also cautioned against changing demographic factors that could bring in fresh challenges to the health sector. The surging dependency ratio with the size of the elderly population expanding by 12.2 per cent in the last 30 years, accompanied by the rising demand for elderly care could call for a ‘readjustment in public spending priorities’ the report noted.
The report also stressed a rising incidence of Non-communicable Diseases (NCD’s) such as diabetes and kidney disease as a cause for concern with the trend expected to continue in light of an ageing population.
The significance of the private sector role in health care service delivery was stressed as well. Rising per capita income and changing lifestyles have enhanced demand for private health services in Sri Lanka. The report stated that “as this trend continues further there is an urgent need for effective private service health regulations and appropriate accreditation policies”.
(SP)
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