LAHORE, June 9: Punjab government’s allocation for health for the fiscal year 2012-13 has no incentive for young doctors and paramedics who recently launched vigorous campaigns for salary raise and service structure.

The government has allocated Rs35,656 million current and development budget for the health sector for the fiscal year 2012-13 with an increase of Rs10,172 million compared to last year’s Rs25,484 million.

The Pakistan Young Doctors Association and Punjab Paramedics Alliance have rejected the health budget, saying the government would have to ‘pay’ for not considering doctors and paramedics’ demands.

“It is a hopeless budget for doctors. The government made allocations for construction of new hospitals in South Punjab on political grounds, but ignored the doctors who will run these health facilities,” YDA Pakistan General Secretary Dr Salman Kazmi said.

All Pakistan Medical Association office-bearers were attending a conference in Abbottabad on Saturday and they could not speak on the health budget because they were unaware of allocations.

According to the budget document, major allocations are for hospital services like current expenditure on autonomous medical institutions. Allocation for major teaching/tertiary care hospitals has been increased to Rs32,819 million in financial year 2012-13 compared to Rs23,535 million in financial year 2011-12.

In line with government’s policy to provide free medicines, disposables and dialysis facilities to patients at public hospitals, there is Rs9,283 million increase compared to last year’s allocation.

To improve its outcome on indicators of Millennium Development Goals, allocations have been made in the budget for fiscal year 2012-13. Accordingly, Rs5,500 million has been made available under the Punjab Millennium Development Goals Programme in the development budget for financial year 2012-13 as a separate financing item.

Of the total current and development budget for 2012-13, Rs2,715 million was allocated under the head of health administration and Rs121 million under the head of public health services compared to last year’s Rs111 million.

Total outlay for the development programmme for the fiscal year 2012-13 remained at Rs16,500 million with an 11.48 per cent increase compared to last year. Of the said outlay, Rs11,488 million was allocated for ongoing schemes and Rs5,012 million for new schemes.

According to the budget document, for the ongoing schemes Rs1,035 million was allocated under the head of preventive & primary health care, Rs2,263 million for accelerated programme for health care, Rs4102 million for tertiary care hospitals, Rs3464 million for medical education, Rs408 million for research and development and Rs213 million for developed projects.

For new schemes, the document said Rs560 million was allocated for tertiary care hospitals and Rs4452 million for block.