Health Expenditure: Out of the money that is being spent on treatment in India, about half of the people have to spend from their own pocket. However, there has been some decline in it as compared to the figures of two years ago. The reason for this is that in recent years there has been an increase in the expenditure incurred by the government on health as compared to GDP.
Highest out of pocket expenditure on treatment in India
During the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, the government was asked whether the out-of-pocket expenditure on treatment is the highest in India as compared to other countries of the world? And what steps have been taken by the government to reduce it. Answering this question, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Satyapal Singh Baghel said that a decline is being seen in the out-of-pocket expenditure on treatment.
Slight decline in three years
He told that in 2017-18, out-of-pocket expenditure by patients on treatment, which used to be 48.8 per cent of the total health expenditure, has come down to 48.2 per cent in 2018-19 and to 47.1 per cent in 2019-20. SP Baghel said that in 2017-18, 3.3 per cent of GDP was spent on health. It was 3.2 percent in 2018-19. But in 2019-20, 3.3 per cent of GDP was spent on health.
Government is increasing expenditure on health
The Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare said that in the National Health Policy 2017, a target was set to increase the government’s expenditure on health to 2.5 of GDP in a phased manner. At the same time, states were also asked to spend 8 percent of their budget on health, in which provision has been asked to make two-thirds for primary care.
He informed that the budget provision for health and family welfare has been increased to Rs 86,175 crore in 2023-24, which was only Rs 47,353 crore in 2017-28. That is, the budget provision has been increased by 82 percent during this period. SP Baghel told that the government will make provision for more budget for the health budget.
Government launched many schemes
S P Baghel informed the House that the government has launched four mission mode projects which include PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centers (ABHWCs), Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
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