Modi aims to increase healthcare share in GDP to 2.5%
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set an aim to increase the share of the healthcare sector in the country's gross domestic product (GDP) to 2.5 percent, Union Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday. The home minister also asserted that the government considered the private sector as a "strategic partner" in its endeavor to achieve universal healthcare and health cover to all citizens.
To provide healthcare to all isn't an easy job: Singh
The minister was speaking at the Founder's Day celebrations of the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) in New Delhi. "In a country of 125 crore people it is not an easy job to provide healthcare to all. There are various challenges which we have to meet...When it comes to government's expenditure, our healthcare sector accounts for 1.16 percent of the GDP," said Singh.
GDP share of the healthcare sector should be increased
"But, I want to assure you, and our prime minister also talks about it. And, the PM has aimed that the GDP share of the healthcare sector should be increased to 2.5 percent, and for that expenditure can be made," Singh said.
Singh also highlighted the challenges of the healthcare sector
Highlighting challenges in terms of number of doctors and nurses, and infrastructural needs, Singh said the government wanted to "encourage investment in this field". Currently, India has 0.6 doctors per 1,000 people and 0.8 nurses per 1,000 people, while the number of beds per 1,000 stands at 1.5. The situation is not so good at global level too, he added.
We want to encourage investment in the healthcare sector: Singh
"So, we want to encourage investment in the preventive and promotive (healthcare) sector. We see the private sector as strategic partners in our endeavor to provide universal healthcare," the minister said.
