Union Budget 2024-25 presented by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is unveiled and the total expenditure proposed on the budget is Rs. 90,958 crore on July 26,2024. They have also set out a budget of Rs 63 crore for the health sector in India, thereby, giving a signal of enhanced capital to build up the health ways and means and establishments in India.
The budget earmarks ₹87,656. 90 crores for the Department of Health and Family Welfare and Rs. 3301. Assuming that the research work of the Department of Health Research will also remain focused in the home country, India, the proposed budget would be around 73 crore. Among these, it is worth to mention the increasing of the funding for the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) from ₹6,800 crore to ₹7,300 crore in order to further develop the demand-side approach to healthcare in India.
However, the expenditure related to the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) remains sanctioned at ₹ 200 crores only as in the previous budget. This mission has the objective of developing a holistic Digital Health System in India.
The National Health Mission (NHM) is provided with ₹36,000 crore and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) gets augmented from ₹2,295. 12 crore to ₹2,732. 13 crore it supporting medical research and development signifies the government’s priority in this regard.
Another aspect is the increase of the National TeleMental Health Programme funding which has increased from ₹65 crore to ₹90 crore, thus there has been a rise in funding in mental health services.
Additionally, ₹18,013. ₹ 62 crore is provisioned for the autonomous bodies and particularly for the AIIMS, Delhi it has been raised from ₹ 4,278 crore to ₹ 4,523 crore.
A major lift was given by the finance minister on this front stating full exemption of customs duty on three important cancer drugs so as to reduce the cost of the life-saving drugs and boost cancer patients’ health. It also recommends the slashing of Customs duty on parts of X-ray tubes and digital detectors that has the potential of lowering health costs.
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According to Roderico H. Ofrin, WHO Representative to India said that budget was impressive and added that the enhancement of health budget, inclusive of AYUSH, evidences the government’s concern towards health promotion, disease elimination and development of public health facilities. Similarly, the measures of removal of customs duty of three cancer related medicines have shown that the government is sensitive towards the availability of life saving medicines. All these actions are commendable
The Union Budget 2024-25 indeed shows the government’s long-term vision of expanding health care services’ accessibility, affordability, and strengthening the infrastructural base in the country that the government aims to provide universal health insurance.
Report By: Sonali Sarkar