Union Budget should focus on amping up health infra: Health experts

Gurugram (Haryana) [India], January 29 (ANI): The Union Budget should have provisions for incremental budgeting for healthcare services so that the health sector can upgrade the infrastructure and be ready to protect the nation from the onslaught of any disease that comes down, said Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairman-MD of Medanta Hospital on Saturday.
The health experts mentioned the key expectations of the health care industry from Union Budget 2022.
"It is important to look after the health sector from ground level. We should focus on preventing the diseases from spreading through community spread," Dr Trehan told ANI.
Citing an example of Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, he said that the movement needs to be reinforced and sped up because the community spread of disease affects the productivity of people and later, create a huge economic burden.
He further suggested that the government should focus on creating more wellness centres.
"Early detection of disease is very important and it will come from wellness centres. For example, there is a provision of 1,50,000  wellness centres under Ayushman. We must complete the project faster because the COVID-19 pandemic has shown cracks in our health system," he added.
According to Dr Trehan, civil hospitals should be upgraded because these wellness centres need to be guided properly.
"We should upgrade the services of civil hospitals, nursing homes and district hospitals. The government should focus on strengthening the health care system from the base," Dr Tehran said.
Meanwhile, Dr Suneeta Reddy, MD of Apollo hospital, also stated that the country should spend more on the health care system.
"Currently, we spend 1.15 per cent of our GDP on health care, but it needs to be 2.5 per cent soon. The Centre can also work with the private sector to be a party of this journey," Dr Reddy said.
She also said that the country should emphasise building health infrastructure and its access to every individual.
"It is the most important thing that everybody should have access to health care facilities once the infrastructure is built. I request the government to look at section ATD and allow for a higher deduction both on private health care as well as medical insurance," she added.
The first part of the Union budget session of Parliament will be held from January 31 to February 11 and the second part of the budget session will take place March 14 to April 8. (ANI)