Industry leaders are urging the government to raise healthcare spending from 2% to 3% of
GDP as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman prepares to present the Union Budget 2024.
The Interim Budget allocated ₹90,171 crore for healthcare in 2024-25, up from ₹79,221 crore
the previous year.
The healthcare sector seeks increased funding for preventive healthcare programs to reduce
disease prevalence and improve public health outcomes. Expanding health insurance
programs like Ayushman Bharat to cover more households is also a priority, providing
financial protection from medical costs.
Additionally, the sector advocates for integrating more technology into healthcare, such as
telemedicine, digital health records, and remote monitoring, to enhance service delivery and
accessibility. Addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals through training,
recruitment, and improved working conditions is another key expectation.
The finance minister introduced a cervical cancer vaccination initiative for girls aged 9-14 in
the interim Budget to reduce the incidence of this preventable disease. Funding for Ayushman
Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana increased from ₹7,200 crore in 2023-24 to ₹7,500
crore in 2024-25. The Unorganised Worker Identification Number (U-WIN) platform was
also launched to improve immunization management and support Mission Indradhanush,
which aims to streamline vaccine distribution and track data in real-time. Additionally, the
budget for biotechnology research and development rose from ₹500 crore in 2023-24 to
₹1,100 crore in 2024-25.
