Commenting on Union Budget 2010-11, Pratap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals, said, “The Finance Minister has made a commendable presentation of the Union Budget for 2010-11. Overall, the broad objective of keeping the positive momentum going even while attempting to balance out the fiscal deficit seems to be on target. The Finance Minister has touched upon several incentives - with the Government acting as a growth enabler - to target growth.
While the overall Budget is commendable, healthcare was touched upon in the plan allocation for health and family welfare increase pegged at Rs 22,300 crore, up from Rs 19,534 crore.
Healthcare has major challenges in combating the three diseases that plague Indians heart disease, diabetes and cancer. We need a planned intervention in enabling our health system to reverse the ill effects of these diseases.
Our other significant challenges include severe shortage of health infrastructure and health human resources. We need to add 100,000 beds each year for the next two decades at a cost of 50,000 crores per year. It would have been helpful if the government had shown encouragement by enabling an investment-friendly environment for this sector.
The Hon'ble Finance Minister touched upon skill development programs in his Budget presentation. The direct health skills gain could exceed 2.5 million per annum, provided we augment the right environment to encourage health skills by way of education, training and development.
The service tax net being expanded to include health check-ups undertaken by hospitals for employees of business entities, and for health services provided under health insurance schemes offered by insurance companies, may not be advantageous in ensuring better access to healthcare for the common man, besides being a deterrent for the advocacy of preventive health.
But overall, the Union Budget for 2010 makes a good effort at ensuring inclusive growth, and we congratulate the Finance Minister for making a commendable presentation.”
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