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The government's health expenditure as a percentage of the GDP fell from 1.35 in 2017-18 to 1.28 in the next year, according to the data released on Monday. While the Centre's share in the total government health expenditure fell to 34.3% in 2018-19, from 40.8% in the previous year, the states' share during the same period rose from 59.2% to 65.7%, the latest national health estimates showed. In the same period, the out-of-pocket expenditure as a percentage of the total health expenditure also fell from 48.8 to 48.2.
However, when compared with the figures of 2013-14, the out-of-pocket expenditure on health decreased substantially by 16 percentage points from 64.2%. Out-of-pocket expenditures are expenditures directly made by households at the point of receiving healthcare. This indicates the extent of financial protection available for households towards healthcare payments.
When it comes to the total health expenditure, it fell to 3.2% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2018-19, the last year for which the data is available, from 3.3% in the preceding year and 4% in 2013-14. The total health expenditure constitutes current and capital expenditures incurred by government and private sources, including external funds. As a percentage of the GDP, it indicates the health spending relative to a country's economic development.
The total health expenditure per capita, which indicates the health expenditure per person in the country, at current prices, however, increased to ₹4,470 in 2018-19, from ₹4,297 in the previous year and from ₹3,638 in 2013-14. The social safety net for healthcare expenditure increased from 6% in 2013-14 to 9.6% in 2018-2019.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated development, the Maharashtra government will undertake gradation of contractual paramedics, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and other allied workers who rendered services during the Covid-19 pandemic. This will help them during the recruitment process, a statement from the Chief Minister's Office said. The decision was taken on Monday in a meeting of the state cabinet headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The statement said during the coronavirus pandemic, a large number of contractual people -- paramedic staff, ASHA, anganwadi and other allied workers -- were at the forefront of the battle.
(With inputs from PTI)