Indian government must take measures to achieve universal healthcare

 20-Jan-17, Business Standard

Coming closely after the demonetization drive that has overwhelmed the citizens and the economy for the past two months, the budget 2017 is being awaited with bated breath. Most analysts are expecting a ‘feel good’ budget.

Image: Business Standard

When it comes to healthcare, concrete, well thought-out long term measures are the need of the time to boost and further the government’s agenda of ensuring universal healthcare. 

Poor spending on healthcare has been a major concern in India, a country where majority of people cannot afford private healthcare facilities. India ranks abysmally low on public expenditur; much below other BRICS countries. This makes ‘Health for All' a distant dream. The objective laid out in the National Health Policy to increase healthcare expenditure from 1.04 per cent of GDP to 2.5 per cent by 2020, with 70 per cent of this being dedicated to primary health care, has been a welcome step.

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