Lok Sabha Question No. 258 (STARRED), answered on 2023-03-17
Subject: Public Health Spending as a Percentage of GDP
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Hema Malini

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 258 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 17 TH  MARCH, 2023

## PUBLIC HEALTH SPENDING AS A PERCENTAGE OF GDP

†*258. SHRIMATI HEMA MALINI:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  increased  its  public  expenditure  on  healthcare services during the last few years and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether the public spending on healthcare services is comparatively less in the country despite continuous increase in expenditure and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether any target has been set by the Government to increase public expenditure on healthcare services upto 4 to 5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and if so, the details thereof?

## THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## ANSWER (DR MANSUKH MANDAVIYA)

(a) to (  c) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 258 FOR 17 TH  MARCH, 2023

- (a) As per the available data from National Health Accounts (NHA) reports, the Total  Health  Expenditure  and  Government  Health  Expenditure  are  given  in  the table below:

| Indicators                                         | 2014-15   | 2015-16   | 2016-17   | 2017-18   | 2018-19   |
|----------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Total Health Expenditure (THE) (Rs. in crore)      | 4,83,259  | 5,28,484  | 5,81,023  | 5,66,644  | 5,96,440  |
| Annual Growth of THE (%)                           | -         | 9.4       | 9.9       | -2.5      | 5.3       |
| Government Health Expenditure (GHE) (Rs. in crore) | 1,39,949  | 1,61,863  | 1,88,010  | 2,31,104  | 2,42,219  |
| Annual Growth of GHE (%)                           | -         | 15.7      | 16.2      | 22.9      | 4.8       |
| GHE as %of THE                                     | 29.0      | 30.6      | 32.4      | 40.8      | 40.6      |

The budget allocation for Department of Health & Family Welfare (DoHFW) has  increased  significantly.    The  allocation  of    DoHFW  was  Rs.  47,353  Crores  in 2017-18  (BE)  which  has  reached  to  Rs.  86,175  crores  in  2023-24  (BE),  resulting increase  of  82%  during  the  same  period.      Further,  the  15th  Finance  Commission (period:2021-22  to  2025-26)  has  provided  to  Rs.  70,051  Crores  Grants  for  health through the Local Government.

With  an  objective  to  prevent,  detect  and  respond  to  the  threat  posed  by COVID-19, the 'India COVID-19  Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package-I' (ECRP-I) of Rs.15,000 Crores was approved by the Cabinet on  22nd  April  2020.  The  Cabinet  has  also  approved,  'India  Covid-19  Emergency Response  and  Health  Systems  Preparedness  Package-II'  (ECRP-II)  on  08th  July 2021 for an amount of Rs.23,123 Crores.

- (b) As  per  the  available  data  from  NHA  reports,  the  General  Government Expenditure and Government Health Expenditure are given in the table below:
- (c) As  per  the  National  Health  Policy,  2017,  public  investment  in  health  is envisioned  to  reach  2.5%  of  GDP  by  2025.  MoHFW  has  taken  up  with  States  to prioritize  allocation  to  health  sector  and  enhance  their  health  budgets  at  least  10% every year to reach the goal as envisaged. The budget allocation for Department of Health & Family Welfare has increased by 82% from Rs. 47,353 Crores in 2017-18 (BE) to Rs. 86,175 crores in 2023-24 (BE). DoHFW is making continuous efforts to increase allocation in health budget.

| Indicators                                          | 2014-15   | 2015-16   | 2016-17   | 2017-18   | 2018-19   |
|-----------------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| General Government Expenditure (GGE) (Rs. in crore) | 35,55,332 | 39,74,103 | 42,65,969 | 45,15,946 | 50,40,707 |
| Government Health Expenditure (GHE) (Rs. in crore)  | 1,39,949  | 1,61,863  | 1,88,010  | 2,31,104  | 2,42,219  |
| GHE as %age of GGE                                  | 3.94%     | 4.07%     | 4.40%     | 5.12%     | 4.81%     |