Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman set a historic precedent by allocating the highest ever budgetary allocation for healthcare, with a 137 percent year on year increase.

For FY 2021-22, a total of Rs 2,23,846 crore is proposed to be allocated for the healthcare and well-being sector versus Rs 94,452 crore BE 2020-21.

FM also proposed to launched PM Aatmanirbhar Swastha Bharat scheme with an outlay of Rs 64,180 crore over 6 years. This will be in addition to the National Health Mission. The scheme will develop capacities of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare systems, strengthen existing healthcare institutions and create new institutions to cater to detection and cure of new disease, FM Sitharaman said.

The scheme will support over 17,000 rural and 11,000 urban health and wellness centre, setting up integrate public health labs in all districts and 3,382 block public health units in 11 states.

The healthcare industry has given a thumbs up to the increased expenditure announced as the COVID19 pandemic brought healthcare to the critical focus and the gaps in healthcare infrastructure were bared open.

The FM also announced an outlay of Rs 35000 cr for COVID vaccination drive for year FY21-22. India has outlined a plan to vaccinate 3 crore healthcare and frontline workers by June 2021. Two vaccines, Covishield and Covaxin, have been approved so far. The FM also highlighted that program for expanding pneumococcal vaccine rollout across country is another focus.

FM said, “India now has one of the lowest COVID19 death rates of 112 per million population and one of the lowest active cases of about 130 per million. Today India has 2 vaccines available and has begun safeguarding not just own citizens but also those of over 100 countries." This has laid the foundation for the economic revival we see today, she added.

Another important budget announcements were on setting up critical care hospital blocks in 622 districts and 12 central institutions. With a focus on infectious disease research, FM allotted Rs 50,000 crore over 5 years to strengthen the overall research ecosystem. This will be positive for pharma and biotech companies. FM also announced strengthening the National Centre for Disease Control, National Institute for One Health, 9 Bio-Safety labs and a Regional Research platform for the World Health Organisation.

Operationalisation of 17 new Public Health Units and strengthening of 33 existing Public Health Units at Points of Entry, that is at 32 Airports, 11 Seaports and 7 land crossings.

With a focus on improving nutrition FM announced the launch of Mission Poshan 2.0. This will merge the supplement Nutrition Programme & the Poshan Abhiyan. FM said, “We shall adopt an intensified strategy to improve nutritional outcomes across 112 Aspirational Districts.”

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(Edited by : Pranati Deva)

First Published:Feb 1, 2021 11:30 AM IST