The 2016 health Budget saw a hike by 20 per cent over the last fiscal year, from Rs 33,152 crore to Rs 39,533 crore, marking a raise of Rs 6,381 crore.
The 2016 health Budget saw a hike by 20 per cent over the last fiscal year, from Rs 33,152 crore to Rs 39,533 crore, marking a raise of Rs 6,381 crore.
As reported by this newspaper earlier, the government announced it will initiate a National Dialysis Services Programme to provide dialysis services in all district hospitals, in the backdrop of emergence of around 2.2 lakh patients of End Stage Renal Disease in India every year and resulting in additional demand for 3.4 crore dialysis sessions.
Other than that a new health protection scheme under which a cover up to Rs 1 lakh per family will be provided bedsides opening around 3,000 medical stores across the country to provide quality medicines at affordable prices was also announced in the budget.
Welcoming the initiative, Indian society of Hemodialysis secretary-general and Sir Ganga Ram hospital nephrology senior consultant Dr D.S. Rana said, “The scheme will help reduce financial suffering of lakhs of patients who cannot afford kidney transplants. About 80 per cent of 2.2 lakh new renal patients cannot afford kidney transplant,” he said.
The government announced a new health protection scheme. “A serious illness of family member(s) causes severe stress on the financial condition of poor and economically weak families, shaking the foundation of their economic security. The government will launch a new health protection scheme which will provide health cover up to rupees one lakh per family,” said finance minister Arun Jaitley.
He said that for senior citizens, who are 60 years of age and above, an additional top-up package up to Rs 30,000 will be provided. Observing that making quality medicines available at affordable prices has been a “key challenge”, Mr Jaitley said the government will “reinvigorate” the supply of generic drugs by opening 3,000 stores under Prime Minister Jan Aushadhi Yojna.
“Making quality medicines available at affordable prices has been a key challenge. We will reinvigorate the supply of generic drugs. 3,000 stores under Prime Minister’s Jan Aushadhi Yojana will be opened during 2016-17,” he said.
