Editor's Note: 'Children of Liberalisation' is a News18 series tracking the Union Budget expectations from 30-year-olds across different sectors, from the prism of 30 years of economic liberalisation in India.
It has been a hard year for those of us in healthcare. The coronavirus pandemic tested the healthcare system in India to its maximum capacity. 2020 has taught us a lot and in terms of those of us in the healthcare sector, it has brought forth a number of priority points for the healthcare sector. Initially, the prevention of diseases and the immunization sector was our main goal. But since the pandemic - and we may expect many more such pandemics in the future - we need to understand that the healthcare sector is quite well equipped to tackle any healthcare crisis.
Boosting private-public models
The coronavirus has revealed the importance of private-public partnership models and the role private enterprises play in healthcare. The private sector makes up for 60-70 percent of the healthcare infrastructure. When it comes to dealing with a pandemic, their involvement is very important. We saw how the government boosted private enterprises during the pandemic by bringing them in the loop, be it through subsidizing facilities and price capping with regard to the rate of the beds per day, or PPE suits or the rate of consumables required by Covid-19 patients. This is essential for the healthcare system to cope with such situations not just at present but in the future as well. The upcoming budget thus needs to focus on the private-partner model of working.
No GST on Masks and sanitisers
Budget 2021 also needs to look at preventive healthcare. This includes development of all sectors that contribute to the consumables by patients in case of a pandemic. Masks and sanitizers became essential during the Covid-19 pandemic in a major way as they constituted consumables the were needed for the preventive part of the pandemic. Last year, the government managed to ensure easy availability of such items by encouraging small, middle, and large scale industries to produce them and also by employing price capping techniques that made them affordable. Nevertheless, the GST rate on a ventilator is 12 percent, in case of masks it is five percent and on test kits, it is 12 percent. As much as 18 percent GST is applicable on sanitizers while the GST it on PPE kits is 5 percent. In case they cost more than Rs 1,000, the applicable GST rate is as high as 12 percent. It would help the healthcare system as a whole if the government reduced GST on items like masks, gloves, caps and sanitizers by categorizing them as essential items
Non-cash benefits for healthcare employees
2020 has been a tough year for healthcare professionals. The pandemic meant extremely long working hours, staying away from family, and even putting their lives along with one's own in danger. And yet, the pandemic seemed to bring out the best in healthcare professionals. But there was also a cost. My husband and I are both doctors and our two children spent much of last year at home by themselves. Is there a human cost to healthcare? Yes. Can it be reflected in the Budget of a country? Yes. Last year saw several healthcare workers go on strike against extended working hours, non-payment of salaries or lack of holidays. While all of us understand the strained economy of the healthcare sector at present, it is important to allow "covid warriors" time and resources to relax as well. And these can be not just through cash boosts in terms of salaries but other benefits such as fixed holidays, better health insurance plans and so on. These benefits need to apply not just to doctors but also to hospital staff or Group D, who are as much covid warriors as doctors and nurses themselves.
The idea is to think about the betterment of the mental and physical health of those involved in the healthcare sector.
Digitalization and R&D
The Covid-19 pandemic saw many mortalities and emergency situations. At Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital itself, we treated over 4,000 Covid-19 patients. And as a professional working through it all, I can vouch that digitization helped our country get through the pandemic. Thanks to the meticulous interlinking of data points from across states, healthcare professionals were able to piece together the needs of the patients across cities and states. This, in turn, led us to ascertain the availability of beds for patients. The pandemic exhibited how technology could be used for the benefit of patients. Not just for doctors, digitisation also allowed patients to connect with doctors at a time when physical contact was at a premium. While the impact of Digital India was commendable when it came to the handling of the pandemic, furthering digitisation of public sector hospitals and healthcare services should be of utmost priority under Budget 2021.
Another aspect that the pandemic has brought attention to is the research and development wing. The Covid-19 pandemic has shown the world the importance of research and development in countering infectious outbreaks. And we know that the coronavirus pandemic may not be the last one. The only thing that can help us prevent something like this from happening in the future is more and more research. Not just India but all governments at this point need to start taking research seriously, especially in terms of mastering immunization techniques that can help humans survive unknown health crises like Covid-19. This is not the first time that humans have been befuddled by an unknown disease. And it won't be the last.
Dr Namrata Makkar is the Deputy Medical Superintendent at Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital. The piece has been written as told to Rakhi Bose.