The government needs to allocate a budget for the mandatory upskilling of healthcare providers in the field of digital health: Health Parliament

In light of NFHS 5 findings, where women and child health have deteriorated, rather than improving. The incidence of chronic diseases is alarming amongst men and women and across rural and urban India; this indicates the need to look at healthcare more seriously and the Finance Minister should ensure adequate financial resources for upgrading the hard and soft infrastructure related to healthcare. In line with this, Health Parliament shares its suggestions for the Budget 2022-2023

The recommendations are:

• The government needs to allocate a budget for the mandatory upskilling of healthcare providers in the field of digital health. This becomes all the more important as we are dealing with a manpower crunch in the healthcare sector.
• Reduction of tax levied on the producers of medical products and drugs manufactured in India.
• Basic Life Support skills should be mandatory for healthcare workers.
• Most of the tertiary and super-speciality hospitals are concentrated within a few major cities. We need to extend the speciality care support beyond major cities to make care accessible. To achieve this strengthening of health infrastructure and the scope of services being offered at the primary and secondary care level needs to be leveled up.
• More budget needs to be allocated for mental wellbeing and effective healthcare communication. Effective healthcare communication would lead to better utilisation of services already in place. Also, patient education and counselling need to be made a part of the routine.
• Vaccine and drug-related R&D are a potential area of investment for better health outcomes.
• It is a good time to start National Public Health Mission now. The government should allocate 1 per cent to public health. The ongoing pandemic has exposed the ailing healthcare system with little focus on Public Health. We need to have a robust healthcare system in place to be better prepared and equipped for handling a public health crisis in future.
• The allocated budget for POSHAN (nutrition) and women’s health be enhanced and linked to achievement of the tragets at district level focusing 2on most backward distcricts in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan & Chattisgarh.
• The budget allocated to the healthcare sector was marginally increased last year. This is not enough considering the population. The government needs to spend at least 3 per cent of the GDP on the healthcare sector.