Thursday, December 19, 2024
Advertisement
  1. You Are At:
  2. News
  3. Business
  4. Budget 2021: Healthcare service providers urge govt to increase healthcare spend

Budget 2021: Healthcare service providers urge govt to increase healthcare spend

The government should increase healthcare spend in the ensuing budget for ramping up the infrastructure in the sector, healthcare service providers have said.

Edited by: PTI New Delhi Published : Jan 26, 2021 18:51 IST, Updated : Jan 26, 2021 18:51 IST
Budget 2021
Image Source : PTI

Budget 2021: Healthcare service providers urge govt to increase healthcare spend

The government should increase healthcare spend in the ensuing budget for ramping up the infrastructure in the sector, healthcare service providers have said. "The public spend in healthcare needs to increase from the current 1.2 per cent to at least 2.5 per cent of GDP in the next 3 years, much of which should be invested in creating and modernising our infrastructure. Hopefully, the budget for 2021-22 would take the important first step towards this," Manipal Hospitals MD & CEO Dilip Jose said in a statement.

Rapid and proactive actions of the government and the tireless efforts of healthcare workers helped the country navigate the COVID-19 pandemic; however, it exposed the chinks in the healthcare system, and highlighted the need for a major infrastructure revamp, he added.

ALSO READ | Budget 2021: Govt may announce steps to promote e-commerce exports, imports

Highlighting the expectations from the budget, Metropolis Healthcare Promoter & MD Ameera Shah said, "The lack of adequate public health infrastructure in India combined with a high Out-of-pocket expenditure imposes a high financial burden on Indian households and therefore increasing the healthcare budget allocation in the coming decade is of utmost importance".

The need of the hour is to strengthen the provisioning of healthcare services through public-private partnerships, she added.

ALSO READ | Govt may hike agri credit target to about Rs 19 lakh cr in Budget

"While the healthcare segment has been a key focus area and part of country's development plan through various comprehensive initiatives including

Swachh Bharat, Ayushman Bharat, National Digital Health Mission and now 'Mission COVID Suraksha', the long-term response to the virus needs a significant part of budget allocation," SRL Diagnostics CEO Anand K said.

ALSO READ | Budget 2021: Toyota seeks simplification of laws, policy support for electric vehicles

ALSO READ | Will Budget 2021 deliver the goods for real estate?

ALSO READ | Budget 2021: Govt may tweak customs duties on several goods

Advertisement

Read all the Breaking News Live on indiatvnews.com and Get Latest English News & Updates from Business

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement