NEW DELHI: The
health ministry has revised its fund requirement to Rs 6.04 lakh crore from Rs 4.99 lakh crore for the period of the award of
the 15th Finance Commission – from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
The 15th Finance Commission on Monday held a meeting with Health Minister
Harsh Vardhan on the issue of revising the state-specific proposals of the ministry in the wake of Covid-19
pandemic, exploring the possibility of back loading in the light of fiscal strain and suggestions of the high-level group on health under the Commission.
In a detailed presentation to the Commission, the health ministry highlighted
the National Health Policy (NHP) 2017 targets which include increase in
public health expenditure to 2.5% of GDP, in a progressive manner, by 2025. It also underlined primary health expenditure to be 2/3rd of the total health expenditure and increase in state sector health spending to more than 8% of their budget by 2020.
The ministry pointed out that the pandemic has established the importance of the need to strengthen the public health sector, surveillance and public health management, preventive and promotive health care with special focus on urban health. The ministry also highlighted the need to increase the allocation of health ministry on year- to-year basis.