New Delhi: The share of government health expenditure (GHE) in India’s total gross domestic product (GDP) increased from 1.13 percent in 2014-15 to 1.84 percent in 2021-22, according to the latest National Health Accounts estimates released by the Union health ministry Wednesday.
The report also showed that the share of GHE in the country’s total health expenditure grew from 29 percent to 48 percent during the same period. National Health Accounts estimates are a tool to describe health expenditures and the flow of funds in both the public and private sectors of the country. Importantly, according to the report, the share of out-of-pocket expenditure in total health expenditure declined from 64.
2 percent in 2013-14 to 39.4 percent in 2021-22. Dr V.
K. Paul, member (health) of the government’s top think tank NITI Aayog, called it a “very positive indicator”, according to a statement by the health ministry. Dr Paul attributed this to the Centre’s flagship schemes, such as the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana, which offers health insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh to eligible families for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation, along with a free dialysis programme.
Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra also noted, “A substantial increase has been noticed in the health expenditure of the government, while the out-of-pocket expenditure has come down which is a good sign.” He highlighted that the total health expenditure has also seen significant g.