STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU:While lauding Union Government’s decisions to impose lockdown in entire nation to break the infection chain and quickly ramp-up healthcare facilities to face COVID-19 pandemic in India, former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader, Kavinder Gupta said that developing health infrastructure, especially in rural areas should be prioritised by the government.
In a statement issued here on Thursday, Kavinder said although the government has brought the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, the government run health insurance programme has proved to be a major health policy intervention.
However, the need of hour is to streamline and develop healthcare infrastructure to cope up with COVID-19 like pandemic.
He asserted that another area to be looked into is escalating prices of essential medicines.
“The government has allowed the firms to set prices as per market-based system rather what they accrue as costs of production.
However, while pharma firms are making a lot of profits, the common man is suffering a lot. The government must, without delay, ask the firms to go back to cost-of-production pricing system,” Gupta said.
Kavinder Gupta pleaded to general public to come forward donate either to Prime Minister’s CARE Fund’ or J&K Relief Fund as per their ability and provide food items to labourers struck in Jammu, who are unable to earn their livelihood.
