Parliament Question: Strengthening public healthcare

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE RAJYASABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 3635 TOBE ANSWERED ON24TH MARCH, 2026 STRENGTHENING PUBLIC HEALTHCARE 3635 DR. M.DHANAPAL: Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased tostate: (a) whether Government has assessed Budget 2026–27 allocations to determine if they are adequate in view of rising out‑of‑pocket health expenditure and regional disparities in access tohealthcareservices; (b) the details of outcome‑based evaluations used by Government to assess improvements in healthcareavailability, workforce capacity andaffordability;and (c)the measuresproposedtobetakenbyGovernmenttostrengthen publichealthcaredelivery, including implementation of initiatives to add 100,000 Allied Health Professionals over the next five years? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SMT.ANUPRIYAPATEL) (a): The Union Budget 2026–27 has increased the allocation for the Department of Health & Family Welfare (DoHFW) to ₹1,01,709.21 crore in BE 2026-27, marking a 9.45% rise over RE 2025-26. The allocation under BE 2026-27 is 175% increase in comparison to BE allocationofFY2014-15. The Government of India has successfully implemented various initiatives to reduce healthcare costs, leading to a substantial decline in Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) as a percentage of Total Health Expenditure (THE). There has been a significant increase in Government Health Expenditure (GHE) as percentage of THE, which has increased from 29.0% in 2014-15 to 48.0% in 2021-22. Concurrent to this increase in GHE, the share of OOPE in THE has declined from 62.6% to 39.4% during the same period. This declining shareof OOPEisindicativeof increasingaccesstohealthservices. The Government iscommittedtoprovide goodqualityhealthcare services through increasing access, increasing affordability by lowering the cost of healthcare delivery and equity, including those in rural areas leading to reduction in regional disparities in access to healthcare services. Towards this, various schemes such as National Health Mission, Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, among others are being implementedthroughDoHFW.(b): The Output–Outcome Monitoring Framework is a tool which systematically reviews and monitorskeyhealthindicatorsandtracksprogress againstdefinedtargetsfortakingcorrective actionsandenable improvements. Common Review Missions (CRM) for the National Health Mission (NHM) are also conducted annually to assess and monitor the progress and implementation status under the scheme.The keystrategies andpriority areasof CRM is toanalyze challengeswith respect to strengthening health systems, identify trends in progress of key indicators, evaluate the readiness of the state to undertake implementation of new initiatives, and reviewthe progress and coordination mechanisms with various partners. The details of various reports of CRM are available in public domain at https://nhm.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=1&sublinkid=795&lid=195. (c): In order to strengthen public healthcare delivery, various measures are undertaken by Government of India. Under the NHM, the Government has taken many steps towards universal health coverage by supporting the State Governments in providing accessible and affordable healthcare to people. A total of 1.85 lakh AAMs have been established to deliver the expanded range of comprehensive primary healthcare services that includes preventive, promotive,curative,palliative andrehabilitativeservices. Further, under Pradhan Mantri - Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM- ABHIM), focus is on developing capacities of health systems and institutions across the continuum of care at all levels, primary, secondary and tertiary, to prepare health systems in responding effectively tothe current andfuture pandemics/disasters. Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) aims to provide health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to more than 12 crore families constituting the economically vulnerable bottom 40% of India’s population.States/UTsimplementingAB-PMJAYhave furtherexpandedthebeneficiarybase, at their own cost. Additionally, the scheme has beenexpanded tocover6crore senior citizens of age 70 years and above belonging to 4.5 crore families irrespective of their socio- economicstatus underAB-PMJAYwith VayVandanaCard. Besides, quality generic medicines are made available at affordable prices to all under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) in collaboration with the State Governments. Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) Pharmacystores have been set upinsome hospitals/institutions. Further, the Government of India announced in budget 2026-27 to upgrade the existing institutions for Allied HealthProfessionals (AHPs) andalso toestablish newAHPinstitutions in private and Government sectors covering 10 selected disciplines, including optometry, radiology, anesthesia, OT technology, applied psychology and behavioral health, and add 100,000 AHPs over the next 5 years. The key strategy for achieving the aforementioned Budget announcement are upgradation of existing allied health institution, addressing faculty shortages, standardization of curricula, increasing awareness, imparting training, stake- holdersconsultationetc. ******