Congress manifesto may include right to healthcare, says Rahul Gandhi

Raipur: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said his party is considering inclusion of a Right to Healthcare Act promise in its manifesto for the ensuing Lok Sabha election to guarantee minimum healthcare to all.

Mr Gandhi also criticised the Ayushman Bharat flagship health scheme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and termed the programme as a handout to 15-20 select businessmen of the country.

He was interacting with medical professionals during the concluding session of the two day national convention on Health for all organised by an NGO here.

“In our manifesto, we are considering three things: Including Right to Healthcare Act by which we can guarantee a certain minimum healthcare to all Indians; increasing our healthcare expenditure to 3 per cent of the GDP and increasing the number of doctors and healthcare professionals, Mr Gandhi said answering a question from the professionals.

Mr Gandhi also asserted that if his party is elected to power in the 2019 general elections, its focus will be on increasing expenditure on healthcare and education.

“India is transitioning from a rural system to urban system. There is a massive shifting taking place and it is a painful shift. It is not an easy shift, it is a traumatic shift,” he said.