IDPD welcomes the statement by Dr.Manmohan Singh

Asking for a nuclear free world
Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) welcomes the statement Dr.Manmohan Singh Prime Minister of India asking for a nuclear free world. India has always been a champion for nuclear disarmament. Keeping the tradition of non aligned movement our country should take lead in various international forums for abolition of nuclear weapons as well as check on proliferation of small arms through confidence building measures between the nations. 
According to a statement issued by it's President Dr L S Chawla General Secretary Dr Arun Mitra even if a single country has the nuclear weapons, the chances of their development by other countries will always remain as the nuclear weapons possessing states looses the moral right to ask other countries desist the same. The fear of these weapons falling into the hands of non state actors will always remain. The stand of IDPD and International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) in this regard has been vindicated by the Seoul meet. IDPD also appeal to the Prime Minister to pay heed to the people movements and put moratorium on the nuclear plants for power generation as the nuclear energy is neither safe nor economical. Moreover the nuclear plants cloud any time is used for production of nuclear weapons.
                                                                                                                                                

2.5% of the GDP on public health services

This is still far below the WHO recommendations: IDPD

                                            Dr. Arun Mitra, Dr. L. S. Chawla and others at a press conference in Ludhiana (File photo)

While welcoming the Prime Minister’s nod to allocate 2.5% of the GDP on public health services, the Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) has said that this is still far below the WHO recommendations for spending 6% of the GDP on public health services. Dr L S Chawla– President IDPD and Dr Arun Mitra–General Secretary IDPD said in a joint statement that several countries in the world including Sri Lanka are spending this much amount on their health services and it has shown results in their health indicators. In fact the earlier GDP spending in India was only 0.9%. After the NRHM in the last plan it was said that 2-3% would be allocated for public health but in fact only 1.4% was spent that also in a phased manner from 2005 to 2011. Every year 2% of our population goes below poverty line because of out of pocket expenditure on health. Large number of our population has to take loan or shelve their other necessary expenses for healthcare spending even government surveys accepted. A clear cut policy in this regards is needed. The GDP spending should start from 2.5% and increase up to 6%  by the end of the 12th plan.