New Delhi, Jan 23: Investing in building and maintaining public health infrastructure should be given priority in the Union budget 2018-19 as these facilities are lagging and vast majority of the population has to bear their own healthcare costs due to low penetration of health insurance, rating agency ICRA said in a report.
“The outlay on healthcare increased by a healthy 28 per cent in the last budget and the allocation is likely to see a similar increase in the forthcoming budget as well,” the report added.
In line with National Health Policy (NHP) 2017, the expenditure is expected to be directed towards setting up of new hospitals to increase the number of beds in the country, and for transformation of existing district and town level health centres to provide better healthcare facilities across geographies while using the existing infrastructure.
Along with the setting up of new hospitals, the report recommends setting up of medical colleges and nursing academies to address the shortage of beds and skilled medical professionals in the country.
ICRA also suggested that new infrastructure developed through incentives can also be utilised for catering to the growing medical tourism in the country, which is expected to continue to grow by 20 per cent over the next five years generating export revenues and employment.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will present first post-GST and the current government’s last full Budget on February 1. The Budget session of Parliament will begin on January 30 with President Ram Nath Kovind addressing the Joint Session of both the Houses of Parliament.
(With inputs from agencies)