An encouraging budget. For healthcare it is great to know that there will be good medical institutions in regions where such facilities are required. The Government’s outlay of Rs 10,351 crores for Woman and Child development is inadequate. There should have been the bold jump to increase the penetration of the prepaid healthcare by reducing the premium for the senior citizens rather than capping the maximum amount. Heavy premium for the young and grossly reduced sums for the senior citizens
There should have been a policy of starting more medical colleges and Post graduate institutes to check the massive gap in the doctor to population ratio. I wonder how in the future will the Govt address this? I would have been very happy if the Government had put a target of reducing the maternal mortality rate and the neonatal mortality rate as for the developed countries by the year 2020. These are the very basic parameters that the country’s healthcare will be assessed the world over. The Govt could have chalked out a plan with the Health Minister to get such an ambitious plan, but mandatory, on road. The Govt has successfully eradicated Polio by a massive campaign so why not the basic tenants of healthcare?
Reduce the import duty on expensive medical equipment. Encourage with tax benefits manufacturing giants to ‘MAKE IN INDIA’. Some Company’s have large manufacturing units in Goa and export to the world!! This should be looked at very seriously as India is technologically advancing but that entails costs. Doctors are skilled and can use the best of equipment but unable to do so as availability is an issue because of costs.