Health care experts in Hyderabad are questioning the timing of an international health journal that criticized the Indian government’s spending on healthcare, calling it an election stunt. The Lancet journal highlighted the low government spending on health, which is just 1.2 per cent of GDP, and the high out-of-pocket expenses burdening individuals.
Some experts are wondering why the Indian government is hesitant to show the true state of health and how they plan to measure progress without proper data. Dr. Kiran Madhala from the Indian Medical Association stated that India ranks 140th out of 190 countries in health expenditure, with government spending below the global average of 5.8 percent of GDP.
Dr. Madhala also pointed out that a significant portion of inpatient care in India is financed by selling property or taking out loans, and many diseases go untreated due to financial constraints. On the other hand, Dr. Madap Karuna, a senior consultant from EMRI Green Health Services, expressed skepticism towards Lancet’s motives and urged for health to not become a political agenda.
Telangana State Medical Council Vice Chairman Dr. G Srinivas suggested that the government should allocate more than 5 percent of GDP to health in the budget. He emphasized the need to focus on improving rural health and increasing primary healthcare facilities to reduce quackery and ensure comprehensive healthcare services for all.
