Budget 2019: What the Healthcare Fraternity wants?

New Delhi, July 03, 2019: With just few days away from Budget 2019 presentation by Finance Minister, all sectors have major expectations, with this being the first budget of the newly elected Modi government. This budget will not only be a marker of the government’s assessment, but also the vision for the economy over the next five years. Besides other sectors, Union Budget 2019-2020’s allocations will also determine the shape the future of healthcare system. The healthcare sector is one of the biggest contributors to the Indian economy and accounts for 6% of the country’s GDP.

Speaking about the forthcoming budget, Mr. Vivek Srvastava, CEO, HealthCare at HOME, said,  “To attain a comprehensive and universal health coverage, several steps need to be taken such as strengthening the public healthcare system from the primary to the tertiary levels with adequate infrastructure, human resources, medicines and other facilities. It is an investment and time heavy exercise. Home healthcare, fast gaining foothold in the Indian healthcare industry, is a cost effective and immediately to meet the targets the Government has set for itself. Home healthcare’s integration in the Ayushman Bharat program can expedite it’s acceptance in the healthcare delivery industry and improve Ayushman Bharat’s effectiveness manifolds. Doctors practising in public sector can refer home healthcare solutions to patients reducing burden on the hospital infrastructure without compromising on quality of care to the patient. With bodies like QAI taking the impetus of standardising and regulating home healthcare industry, the quality of care can now be vouched for. Furthermore, cost effectiveness of the solutions can be understood by the fact that home ICU sets costs around 50% less in comparison to the hospital ICUs. This is the future of the Indian healthcare system and would play a huge role in making the healthcare accessible and affordable, especially for the people who have poor access to healthcare solutions which is the key objective of the government and Ayushman Bharat scheme. The government should provide an enabling environment for the sector to grow. Modi government has followed the mantra of Make in India and ease of doing business. Special schemes or subsidies for the healthcare industry, home healthcare in particular, are the need of the hour. This is where the upcoming budget can show some vision and leadership.”

Sharing views on budget expectations, Dr. Sitesh Das, CEO, Child Care Hospital, said, “Healthcare should be the supreme priority of the budget this year. There should be an increase in allotment of funds for the health sector primarily focusing on running campaigns for prevention of lifestyle diseases like Diabetes and hypertension and obesity, especially in children which is now an epidemic in the country. There is still a lack of awareness about diseases such as AIDS and Hepatitis. Ironically, we have numerous initiatives and programs, however due to dearth of manpower, there is also a shortfall in penetration of those programs. Besides, all vaccines should be free of cost and should fall under the universal immunization programmes as this step can eradicate several diseases from the country. Also, there should be a significant focus on the medical education and majorly towards building the research sector of the country.”

Corporate Comm India(CCI NewsWire)