Union Budget 2023-24: A Road to the new height of the Healthcare Sector!!!

The health sector in India has been getting attention over the past three years, largely due to the global pandemic. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced the union budget 2023-24. Nirmala Sitharaman announced various programs pertaining to healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices segments. So what has this year's Budget brought for the Healthcare sector? Let's know it in a Nutshell !!!

A National Ecosystem for Digital Health

In the budget, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has given the health sector particular attention. A national ecosystem for digital health will also be built, and it will use an open platform. According to Dr. DK Gupta of Felix Hospital, 157 new nursing colleges would be constructed concurrently with the 157 medical colleges that were already founded in 2014.

Mission to eradicate Anemia

By 2047, a mission will be established to end sickle cell anemia. In the impacted tribal communities, 7 crore persons up to 40 years old would be screened. The government is working extremely hard to eradicate this illness (anemia).

Research funding to be Promoted

There will be new initiatives for pharmaceutical research being developed. Research funding will be promoted. Public and commercial medical institutions will have access to facilities in a few of the ICMR's laboratories for research. In the Union Budget for 2022–2023, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare received Rs 86,200 crore. Comparing this to Rs 73,932 crore in FY 2020–21, there was a growth of around 16.5 percent. Unique health identities, the digital health provider and facility registries, and open access to medical facilities. Digital registries of health providers and health facilities, unique health identities, and universal access to health facilities will be provided.

A Boost to the Country's Mental Health

The country's mental health will be strengthened thanks to this funding, which will also boost research and give the general people access to the best medical facilities.

Funding for the independence of the Healthcare Sector

To handle the present pandemic, hospitals with enhanced treatment are required. To increase this industry's level of independence, we must improve health services, expand new technologies, and prioritize research. On a national scale, we require funding for this. For outbreaks like the Corona, we must be extremely well-prepared. To accomplish this, the health industry has to have a robust infrastructure. To boost the healthcare system, we also need skilled labor. Healthcare isn't mentioned all that much in the budget, if at all. This number is less than one, which may surprise you. In comparison to the World Health Organization's criteria, this is substantially lower. There is a severe lack of doctors in the nation. Only 1,40,000 allopathic doctors practiced in the nation in 2018. The same is true for nurses and other medical specialists. Recently, various actions were done to increase the number of medical student seats. Hospitals can be found in both the public and private sectors in major cities. In medium-sized and small cities, it is challenging. There, it will be necessary to persuade the private sector to fund hospitals. Investment is necessary for the total domestic manufacture of medical supplies and raw materials.

Ever evolving Healthcare Sector & meeting its needs

Healthcare is a kind of sector in which technology is constantly changing. The fact that new items are always being developed makes it crucial for those working in this industry to be skilled. Businesses should spend more money on healthcare training. For this, the industry is asking for incentives. Systems for providing healthcare should be networked as well. Any data from hospitals, both public and private, as well as diagnostic facilities, can be found in a data center in real-time. This will keep track of any modifications to the disease's pattern. A step in this direction is the National Digital Health Mission's initiative.

Hopes that are still awaiting to be fulfilled

In the upcoming budget, plans are anticipated to be made to reinforce it. In India, a sizable portion of the population lacks health insurance. However, the Ayushman scheme is altering the situation. The underprivileged groups in society are receiving their rewards. The provision of clean water to individuals is crucial for their health. There must be cleanliness where people reside.

Conclusion

Overall, the healthcare sector has had quite an impact on the Indian economy this year. So while India is still ranked low in terms of public health and these schemes may not be able to serve everyone now, they will prove to be beneficial in the long run. The question is, how long until everyone can benefit from these reforms?