Union Budget 2023: What are the pre-budget expectations for healthcare sector?
Live MintOn February 1, the Union Budget for 2023–24 is scheduled to be presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. We have noticed that problems like sexual and reproductive health, diabetes, mental health issues and rural healthcare infrastructure require special attention and should be given special consideration in the budget of 2023. Being a telemedicine company, we strongly recommend improvements in infrastructure in terms of internet facilities, properly equipped tertiary hospitals in case of patients who require more than just consultation.” Himanshu Sikka, Practice Lead - Health, Nutrition & WASH, IPE Global said “In the Economic Survey of 2022, India's public expenditure on healthcare stood at 2.1% of GDP in 2021-22 against 1.8% in 2020-21 and 1.3% in 2019-20. Several public sector schemes launched in the last few years, including the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, have focused on building last-mile infrastructure, but the current budget needs to significantly increase allocations towards these and other schemes under the Ayushman Bharat umbrella, such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.” “Along with increase in public sector allocations towards health infrastructure and insurance schemes, government needs to focus towards encouraging homegrown innovations – both tech and process - that can help it achieve its universal health care mandate. This would require provisions to allow use of CSR funds towards such blended finance initiatives as well as increasing allocation and awareness around government backed credit guarantee schemes and possible timeframe extension for some of the schemes like Loan Guarantee Scheme for Covid Affected Sectors,” said Himanshu Sikka.