Low spend on health:

• Spend on healthcare just 1.6 to 1.8% of GDP
  
• Demand for increasing funds long-pending
• Healthcare needs to be made affordable

New Delhi: Higher GDP allocation for healthcare and advances in digital health infrastructure is imperative, said experts ahead of the Union Budget. The Union Budget 2024 is slated to be presented on July 23 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Jyotsna Govil, Chairperson Indian Cancer Society, said: “There is an urgent need to advance digital health infrastructure, particularly in tier II and III cities and rural areas, to enhance health coverage and support existing facilities.”

Govil also called for boosting reforms in cancer care by prioritising funding for personalised medicine and immunotherapy. This, she noted, will make the therapies more accessible to a large number of patients.

While India’s current public healthcare spending remains low with just 1.6 to 1.8 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the experts stressed the need for higher allocation. “A higher percentage of GDP allocation to healthcare is obviously a long pending demand, I hope it will be met in good measure in this budget,” said Dr. BS Ajaikumar, Executive Chairman, HealthCare Global Enterprises. He noted that over the years, the government has taken many measures towards making healthcare affordable and accessible for the deprived sections of society.

“However, schemes like Ayushman Bharat are unflinchingly focused on subsidised treatment; the quality aspect is yet largely ignored,” Dr. Ajaikumar said. He also called for an “effective universal health care model” that can bring out real transformation in the health sector. In the interim budget, in February, the government had encouraged vaccination for girls in the age group of 9 to 14 years for prevention of cervical cancer. Dr. Ajaikumar urged for bringing down the cost of vaccinations to prevent cervical cancer.