Plans for free primary healthcare for all in India
01-Jan-15, The Economic Times
The Narendra Modi government aims to move toward a new healthcare regime in which primary care will be offered free to all through public facilities. Aside from this, an assorted list of secondary and tertiary services will be bought by the government, mainly from public healthcare facilities and to a limited extent from private players, according to the health ministry's proposal.
A large chunk of this plan is proposed to be funded through taxes, at least for 70% of the economically weaker sections, according to a new health policy draft unveiled on Wednesday. People with a per capita monthly consumption expenditure of less than Rs 1,640 in rural areas and Rs 2,500 in urban areas at current prices will qualify for such assistance to start with.