Budget 2024 Holds the Key for Specialized Healthcare in India

Can India's upcoming budget deliver the critical boost needed for specialized healthcare and allied services? Industry leaders across various sectors are voicing their concerns and expectations, highlighting the need for a multi-pronged approach to propel growth and ensure accessibility.

A Call for a Healthy India Focus

Dr. Girdhar Gyani, Director General of the Association of Healthcare Providers (AHPI), emphasizes the importance of prioritizing preventive measures through sanitation, clean water, and nutrition initiatives. He proposes strengthening primary care and revamping Ayushman Bharat Yojana to improve accessibility for all.

Outpatient Care Boom: Technology Leading the Way

Dr. Chandril Chugh, a neurologist, observes the rapid growth of outpatient care due to India's rising population and prevalence of chronic diseases. Technological advancements in telemedicine, health apps, and diagnostics are making services more accessible and efficient.

Dermatology and Aesthetics Poised for Growth

Dr. Ajay Rana, Director of ILAMED and Dermalyn Aesthetics, anticipates significant demand for advanced treatments in these fields. He emphasizes the need for substantial investments in research, development, and innovation to meet this demand.

Universal Health Coverage: A Collective Effort

Ms. Sugandh Ahluwalia, Chief Strategy Officer at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, stresses the crucial role of the upcoming budget in propelling India towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030. She proposes reclassifying hospitals as infrastructure investments and extending interest rate subvention for medical equipment to ease financial burdens.

Focus on Fertility Treatments and Mental Health

Sheetal Jindal, Medical Director at Jindal IVF, calls for integrating preventive measures like Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) and increased funding for Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). Dr. Archana Dhawan Bajaj advocates for increased investment in mental health services, highlighting the immense need for support.

Emergency Response Needs Both Healthcare and Infrastructure

Pranav Bajaj, Co-founder of Medulance, emphasizes the critical role of both healthcare and road infrastructure in ensuring timely emergency response. He urges the government to prioritize budget allocations in both sectors.

Strengthening the Workforce and Infrastructure

Industry leaders across various sectors advocate for increased healthcare spending, with a focus on building a skilled workforce of healthcare professionals and robust infrastructure, especially in rural areas.

From Blood Shortage to Elder Care: Specific Needs Require Support

Anubha Taneja Mukherjee, representing Thalassemia patients, calls for addressing blood shortage and promoting voluntary blood donation. Rahul Misra, Founder of Vesta Elder Care, hopes for continued support for the elderly population, including increased accessibility to healthcare services.

Addressing Financial Challenges in Healthcare

Prabhat Srivastava, Co-founder of Vitus Care, highlights the financial difficulties faced by hospitals due to high TDS deductions on reimbursed claims. He proposes a special rate for the healthcare sector to ease cash flow issues.

Mental Health: A Pressing Issue Demanding Attention

Dr. Ishan Shivanand emphasizes the need to bridge the gap in mental healthcare. He urges the government to prioritize budget allocations to boost the number of mental health professionals, raise public awareness, and remove stigma.

Technology and Policy for Improved Access

Girish Agarwal, Co-founder of Zeno Health, calls for increased allocation towards technology integration in public healthcare systems. He also emphasizes the need for enforcing a law requiring doctors to prescribe generic medicines by name, improving transparency and affordability.

The Road Ahead

The upcoming Union Budget 2024-25 holds immense potential to shape the future of India's specialized care and allied services. By addressing the concerns and expectations raised by industry leaders, the government can create a healthcare ecosystem that caters to the diverse needs of the population, ensuring inclusivity, affordability, and access to quality care for all. Source: healthcareradius