Health experts happy with Budget proposals

Health experts in the national capital welcomed the Modi government’s Budget proposal of national dialysis programme and new drug stores. They said that the Budget is well-balanced and has taken care of popular demands.

BLK Super Speciality Hospital executive director Naresh Kapoor said, “The Budget is well-balanced, taking care of popular demands and at the same time opening up windows to the private sector to participate in the PPP model. It addresses some of the basic issues such as access to healthcare and subsidised medicines. By making provision of dialysis facility in all district hospitals, the Budget has massively expanded the reach of renal care to many poor people.”

The health experts emphasised that opening of dialysis facilities in the district hospitals will immensely help the people save a fortune which is generally lost during treatment. “The government has taken a very wise decision by focusing on the sector like dialysis. It is one of the most negligent area in healthcare due to which people have to spend a lot, they have lost their fortune for the treatment. Around 2 lakh patients every year in India are going through this chronic disease and they will get a sign of relief,” said COO, Primus Super Speciality Hospital, Dr Ashok Kumar.

The experts also hailed the Modi government’s proposal to open generic medicine stores. “The governm-ent has taken very good st-ep by announcing 300 gene-ric medicine stores because due to band names, medicines are getting more costlier and with more stores, the patients will get good relief,” added Dr Kumar.

The experts also claimed that the Budget proposal for healthcare covering weaker sections of the society is a pathbreaking step. “This Union Budget overtly shows the trend towards affordability and accessibility of healthcare for not-so-rich in our society. Success would depend on effective implementation through close monitoring,” said CEO, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, Dr D.P. Saraswat.

The experts claimed that the Budget announcement of three-year tax exemption for startups would encourage more people to become entrepreneurs. “As a medical tech startup, we are quite happy with the Budget announcement of three-year tax exemption for startups as well as the overall policy focus on encouraging the start-up environment and improving ease of doing busin-ess,” said founder Diabeta-care, Dr Sanjiv Agarwal.

Founder, Core diagnostics, Zoya Brar, said, “The Union Budget has given out a positive signal in multiple directions, especially with its undertone of boosting economy by putting it on a definite path of reforms, improving start-up ecosystems and putting the right thrusts on healthcare and rural economy.”