Budget Byte: Need to spend more on healthcare to manage shortcomings

Spending on health is improving gradually in India, even though it has not grown substantially from its level of 1% of GDP

India needs at least 50,000 health personnel at various levels to make good their shortfall in rural areas. In many cases, shortfall exists a the national level even as the total number is more than the requirement, as some states have them in excess, while others lack them in number. Support staff and specialists are the key areas.

Spending on health is improving gradually in India, even though it has not grown substantially from its level of 1 per cent of GDP. To cater to the human resources shortfall as well as the capital spending on equipment and hospitals, the Union Budget would need to top up its health spend strongly each year, to take general spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP, a target set by experts.