Even as the overall increase in budget allocation in health sector is marginal, family welfare schemes have seen a rise of a whopping 35 per cent indicating the community approach taken by the government. Mission Indradhanush, India’s Universal Immunization Programme, Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) that provides free drugs, diagnostics, blood, diet and Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) that provides newborn and child health screening, are a few examples of family welfare schemes.
Against last year’s allocation of Rs 516.60 crore, the government allocated Rs 694.72 crore for family welfare schemes. The health ministry has been allocated total Rs 90,958.63 crore, out of which Rs 87,656.90 will be given to the department of health and family welfare and Rs 3,301.73 crore to department of health research.
One of the most significant aspects for the health sector is making medicines affordable, especially for cancer patients. Three cancer drugs have been exempted from custom duties, reducing their cost. Says D. S. Negi, CEO, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre (RGCIRC), “We welcome the government's announcement in the Budget 2024-25 to fully exempt three additional cancer medicines from custom duties. This is a significant step towards making essential cancer treatments more accessible and affordable for patients across India. The high cost of cancer medications has been a major barrier for many patients, and this exemption will undoubtedly provide much needed financial relief to those battling the disease.”
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also proposed changes to the basic customs duty for X-ray tubes and flat panel detectors used in X-ray machines. This has also been hailed as a positive development by experts. Says Pavan Choudary, Chairman, Medical Technology Association of India (MtaI), “Customs duty reduction on finished goods is a pending demand. Even though that has not happened, the reduction of custom duty on X-ray machine components is perhaps reflective of the realization that only those products which we can manufacture in the short to mid-term can be protected without triggering adverse unintended consequences. We do hope that tariff barriers on finished MedTech products which are not import substitutable in the short to mid-term, will eventually, come down. This would further patient affordability and foster competition and quality.”
Adds Negi, “The proposed reduction in the basic custom duty (BCD) on x-ray tubes and flat panel detectors for use in medical x-ray machines are commendable. By aligning these changes with domestic capacity addition, the government is not only supporting the growth of local manufacturing but also ensuring that advanced medical technology is available to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes for cancer patients. We applaud the government for these decisive measures and are confident that they will bring us closer to a future where every cancer patient has access to the best possible care.”
The budget provisions also indicate that the government will keep trying to directly benefit the people through Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY). While the allocation to PMJAY has marginally increased from Rs. 7200 crore to Rs 7300 crore, the PM-ABHIM has seen a drop of nearly 14 percent in budget allocations. The National Digital Health Mission will also receive Rs 141 crore less money that the previous year.
