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Datanomics: Rising Covid cases put spotlight on India's healthcare system
Without urgent boosts in investment, experts warn India will struggle to meet both everyday and emergency health demands
Delhi
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India recently crossed 1,000 Covid cases nationwide, raising questions on the country's healthcare system. According to experts, this surge involves milder variants, but the spike tests a system already stretched thin by underinvestment, doctor shortages, and gaps in hospital infrastructure.
India's National Health Policy, 2017, set a target of spending 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) on health care by 2025. However, the current spending remains at 1.4 per cent. Without an investment boost, experts warn that India will
struggle to meet both everyday and emergency health demands. Kerala records most cases
India recorded 752 new
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New Indian Express
02-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Insurance premiums surpass health budget
NEW DELHI: In a stark indicator of India's shifting healthcare landscape, individual health insurance premiums have now exceeded the combined central government allocation for the Department of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Health Research. An analysis of annual reports from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India and corresponding Union Budget documents shows that while insurance premium collections briefly dipped in the immediate post-pandemic years (2021–22 and 2022–23), they have since surged past the national health budget. Even when related spending by other ministries—such as Defence and Labour—is taken into account, India's total public health expenditure remains low: just around 2% of the Union Budget and 1.5% of GDP, falling short of the 2.5% target set by the National Health Policy. This trend signals more than a budgetary shift—it reflects a structural transformation in how healthcare is accessed and funded in India. Increasing reliance on private insurance points toward a market-driven model where care is increasingly linked to ability to pay, raising serious equity concerns, particularly for the uninsured and underinsured. Critics argue that insurance-based healthcare, especially when not backed by strong public infrastructure, can exacerbate inequalities. A large share of India's workforce remains in the informal sector and lacks access to comprehensive insurance. Public health facilities, meanwhile, continue to be underfunded and overstretched.
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Business Standard
27-05-2025
- Business Standard
Datanomics: Rising Covid cases put spotlight on India's healthcare system
Without urgent boosts in investment, experts warn India will struggle to meet both everyday and emergency health demands Delhi Listen to This Article India recently crossed 1,000 Covid cases nationwide, raising questions on the country's healthcare system. According to experts, this surge involves milder variants, but the spike tests a system already stretched thin by underinvestment, doctor shortages, and gaps in hospital infrastructure. India's National Health Policy, 2017, set a target of spending 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) on health care by 2025. However, the current spending remains at 1.4 per cent. Without an investment boost, experts warn that India will struggle to meet both everyday and emergency health demands. Kerala records most cases India recorded 752 new


Time of India
29-04-2025
- Time of India
Nadda Calls for Private Hospitals to Strengthen Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission
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