Union Budget 2024-25: Here are the key challenges in health care sector

Key challenges
 

 Insufficient infrastructure and uneven distribution

 Shortage of skilled human resource

 Public healthcare expenditure is estimated at 2.1% of GDP as of FY23, which is lower than that of many developing nations

 High out-of-pocket expenditure on health 

 Import dependency for high-end medical devices and equipment such as CT scans, MRIs, and linear accelerators

Industry ask

 Reduce/exempt GST payments from health insurance plans 

 Introduce innovative financial instruments 

 Addressing needs of novel healthcare model such as senior care, mental health

 Accelerated implementation of digital technologies

 Price revision of government schemes

 Roll out and implementation of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 

To achieve Universal Health Coverage, it is essential to prioritise accessibility beyond metro and tier-I cities. The integration of digital health and technology is pillar for creating robust healthcare ecosystem
 

Rana Mehta, Partner and leader healthcare, PwC India