In a first, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allocated an amount of Rs 495 crore for the Global Fund Grant under Covid-19 Response Mechanism in the union budget 2023-2024. The Global Fund is a worldwide movement to defeat HIV, TB and malaria and ensure a healthier, safer, more equitable future for all.
The total revenue allocated for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare this year is Rs 1,04,683 crore. The grants-in-aid to state governments saw a decrease of Rs 12,422 in budget estimates. Last year it was Rs 53,577.03 crore, but it is Rs 41,154.92 crore this fiscal .
Further, the capital outlay for medical and public health also brought a little disappointment as it dropped from Rs 5,537.36 crore for 2022-2023 to Rs 5,205.85 for 2023-2024. For family welfare, the capital outlay also fell from Rs 8.84 crore to Rs 4.21 crore. The Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) has seen a slight increase at Rs 2220.24 crore instead of Rs 1945.27 crore the previous year.
After the Covid pandemic put strain on Delhi hospitals and exposed the gaps in health care infrastructure and management, there is continued focus on building their capacity. Safdarjung Hospital and Vardhman Mahavir Medical College has been allocated a budget of Rs 1,853.34 crore. Last year, it was Rs 1,760.15 crore. Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences have been given Rs 1,272.18 crore this year, in comparison to Rs 1,112.61 crore in last year’s budget. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has got Rs 4,134.67 crore this year, as compared to Rs 4,400.24 crore last year.
Besides, the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PMABHIM) has got a huge boost in this year's budget with Rs 4,200 crore. Previously, it was Rs 1,885.45 crore only. Furthermore, the Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) has also got a boost with Rs 7,200 crore as compared to Rs 6,412 crore last year.
Further, this year, the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana witnessed a decline of Rs 4904.56 crore. Last year, the amount for the same was Rs 8269.56 crore, but, this year, it is Rs 3,365 crore only. The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) envisages creation of tertiary healthcare capacity in medical education, research and clinical care, in the underserved areas of the country. It aims at correcting regional imbalances in the availability of affordable and reliable tertiary healthcare services and also augmenting facilities for quality medical education in the country. The scheme has two broad components: setting up of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and upgradation of existing Government Medical Colleges and Institutions (GMCIs).
However, the National AIDS and STD Control Programme witnessed a rise in the budget allocation this year from Rs 2,182.01 crore to Rs 3,079.97 crore. In addition, the National Organ Transplant Progranmme received Rs 15.68 crore this time, in comparison to Rs 10.24 crore last year. The objective of the scheme is to organise a system of organ procurement and distribution for deserving cases for transplantation.
Furthermore, interestingly, there is no change in the allocation for the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). It remains constant at an amount of Rs 1.78 crore.