Health Care Budget 2024 UPSC

The Union Health Ministry has been allocated Rs 90,658.63 crore in the interim Budget for 2024-2025. The Ministry has witnessed a hike of 12.59 per cent over 80,517.62 crore in the Budget (revised estimates) for 2023-2024.

Of this amount, the Department of Health and Family Welfare will receive Rs 87,656.90 crore, and the Department of Health Research will receive Rs 3,301.73 crore

While the health ministry received ₹90,658.63 crore, a 12.59% increase from last year and Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PMABHIM) saw an allocation of ₹3,200 crore, highlighting the government’s push for strengthening health infrastructure in the country.

HIGHLIGHTS

1) The three medicines, Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Osimertinib, and Durvalumab were previously subject to a 10 per cent customs duty. Now these drugs will be imported duty-free

1. Trastuzumab Deruxtecan is an antibody-drug conjugate used primarily to treat HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic). It is also being studied for use in other types of cancer, such as gastric cancer.
2. Osimertinib is a targeted therapy used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with specific mutations in the EGFR gene. It is particularly effective against cancers that have developed resistance to earlier generations of EGFR inhibitors.
3. Durvalumab is an immunotherapy drug that works by blocking the PD-L1 protein, helping the immune system to attack cancer cells. It is used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and urothelial carcinoma (bladder cancer).

India, ranking third in global cancer cases, takes a bold step towards accessible health care.

2) Along with the cancer drugs, the finance minister also announced exemption of customs duty on components of X-ray tubes and digital detectors that the medical devices sector feels will encourage domestic manufacturing.

3) Other announcement was about establishment of new medical colleges in BIHAR.

INTERIM BUDGET 2024 (HEALTH RELATED HIGHLIGHTS)

• To establish more medical colleges by utilising existing hospital infrastructure and address manpower shortages while also increasing access to healthcare education.
• Encouraging preventive cervical cancer vaccination for young girls aged 9 to 14
• Extending health coverage under the Ayushman Bharat scheme to all ASHA and Anganwadi
• Bringing maternal and child healthcare schemes under one umbrella
• Upgradation of Anganwadi centers under SAKSHAM ANGANWADI and POSHAN 2.0 will be expedited to improve nutritional delivery, early childhood care and development.
• A newly designed U-Win platform for managing immunization and intensified efforts of Mission Indradanush will be rolled out.

Limitations

“Health was not one of the nine main priorities, and the budget could have better tackled the broader challenges in healthcare with a more complete plan.

By not making health one of its top nine priorities, it misses the chance to address the sector’s broader challenges and opportunities fully,”