Experts hail customs cut on X-ray components, raise concern on inadequate health investment

New Delhi, July 24 (IANS) The Union Budget 2024-25 is "real world" and harnesses domestic and international currents optimally, but not mentioning health among the nine top priorities of the government is a concern, said experts here on Wednesday.

The Budget, presented on Tuesday in the Lok Sabha by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, exempted customs duty on X-ray components like tubes and flat panel detectors.

"This shows the government realises that those products which can be import substituted in the near term only should be protected. Any other protectionist barriers bring unintended consequences and we are hopeful that eventually those products which cannot be import substituted in the mid or short term, their custom duties will also be reduced," Pavan Choudary, Chairman, of the Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI) told IANS

Calling the Budget "very real world", Choudary said it "harnesses both the domestic and international currents optimally".

He also hailed the Budget's emphasis on skilling. Choudary said this will also "benefit the healthcare sector dramatically. Because today, 24 per cent of the foreign workforce in healthcare globally comes from India".

"The target for manpower exports in healthcare is 300,000 including doctors, nurses, technicians annually."

However, Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director, Population Foundation Of India, said, "It was highly unexpected to see health to be missing among the nine top priorities of the government".

Muttreja said she is "surprised and disappointed" that the Budget "virtually neglected adequate investment in the health, nutrition, education, and social empowerment of critical demographic groups identified by the government as GYAN -- Garib (poor), Yuva (youth), Annadata (farmers), and Nari (women)".

"One of the most concerning findings of the last round of the National Family Health Survey was the poor nutritional outcomes of young people," said Muttreja.

"How can an unhealthy, malnourished population form a productive workforce?"

She also raised concern about "an increase of only 1.7 per cent from last year" in the Budget.

The Budget of the Department of Health and Family Welfare has increased from Rs 86,175 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 87,656 crore in 2024-25.

"India is the most populous country, with the largest young population in the world. For the country to leverage this demographic advantage, holistic investments in the health of this population are imperative. Women constitute half of our population. Comprehensive support for women requires not just economic opportunities but also access to healthcare, especially sexual and reproductive health, nutrition, and social security," said Muttreja.