Union Health Minister JP Nadda stated on Monday that there has been a “remarkable” 164% growth in the budgeted allocation for health, from `33,278 crore in 2013–14 to `90,958 crore in 2024.Nadda responded to the discussion on the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s Demands for Grants by saying that this demonstrates the dedication to putting our citizens’ health and wellbeing first.
He said that by highlighting Ayushman Bharat’s free medications, diagnostic centers, and screening, “we have reduced out-of-pocket expenditure from 62% to 47.1%.” “The government is dedicated to reducing the amount of money paid out of pocket.”
According to Nadda, the government is concentrating on making medications accessible and efficient, with a particular focus on cancer treatment. “The Jan Aushadhi Yojana, our flagship programme, has already achieved notable progress. We have opened 13,000 locations, offering people access to reasonably priced medications,” he stated, emphasizing that the goal of the initiative is to improve healthcare accessibility.
Nadda stated that in the upcoming five years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to further grow this network to 25,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras. “This ambitious goal will ensure that the poor and vulnerable populace have easy access to affordable medicines, improving health outcomes and saving lives,” the speaker stated.
He stated that the National Health Mission, which is essential in helping states fortify their healthcare logistics and infrastructure, is the vehicle through which the federal government is attempting to supply free medications and diagnostic services.
According to him, NHM makes up a sizeable 55% of the total healthcare budget. He stated that over the previous ten years, the government has allocated <13,900 crore towards the PM Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, indicating significant investments in tertiary healthcare.
Nadda added that the government is heading toward hitting the 2.5% target for health spending. According to him, health spending has risen from 1.1% to 1.9% of GDP.
Afterwards, by voice vote, LS accepted the Ministry of Health’s Demands for Grant.
SOURCE:
HINDUSTAN TIMES
