The pandemic has shown that India’s healthcare system is lacking on multiple fronts and calls for a rework by all stakeholders. Government expenditure on health, demand-supply mismatch, and chronic shortages are just some of the problems.
The pandemic has shown that India’s healthcare system is lacking on multiple fronts and calls for a rework by all stakeholders. Government expenditure on health, demand-supply mismatch, and chronic shortages are just some of the problems. Mint explains the gaps:
How much does India spend on healthcare?
In 2020-21, India spent 1.8% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on healthcare. With ‘health and well-being’ one of the six pillars of the Union Budget 2021-22, the government has committed approximately 2.5-3% of GDP now. Data shows that India has 1.4 beds per 1,000 people, 1 doctor per 1,445 people, and 1.7 nurses per 1,000 people. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), India ranks 184 out of 191 countries in health spending. The US spends over 16% of its total GDP on healthcare, while Japan, Canada, Germany etc. spend over 10% of their GDP on healthcare.
How do states rank on the health index?
The Health Index for States developed by Niti Aayog in consultation with the health ministry and the World Bank has rankings for large states, smaller states and Union territories. It is based on 23 health parameters ranging from mortality rate and sex ratio to functioning cardiac care units. In 2019, Kerala was the top performer followed by Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. The best incremental change was seen in Haryana, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Assam. The index results indicated that states even with a lower economic output are performing better on health and well-being.
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