New Delhi: The Union 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.
According to the sources, the revised proposal was given on Monday during a meeting with the 15th Finance Commission in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and revising the state-specific proposal of the ministry.
The ministry has outlined that the pandemic has established the importance of the need to strengthen the public health sector, surveillance and public health management.
Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has said that India's domestic demand on health infrastructure is expected to engine the growth regardless of any turbulence in the global economy.
He gave the statement while talking to his Australian counterpart Gregory Andrew Hunt to discuss bilateral health cooperation.
"Australia has one of the best healthcare systems in the World. Health care in India is one of the fastest-growing sectors expected to hit $275 billion marks in the next 10 years. India's domestic demand is expected to engine the growth regardless of any turbulence in the global economy. India also offers opportunities in R&D and medical tourism," said Dr Vardhan.
He said that India's traditional holistic medical system black Ayurveda and Yoga can help Australia curb obesity and related diseases.
Lauding India's healthcare efforts, Dr Vardhan said that India's universal healthcare coverage (under Ayushman Bharat) covers a massive 100 million families. 10 million individuals have been benefited in the last one year.
Referring to India's fight against Covid 19 pandemic, Dr Vardhan said that India has isolated the virus in the early onset of disease and are engaged in studying the voice of using genome sequencing.
"From just one lab to test the virus in January 2020, India has now more than 1200 labs all across the country facilitating the people of widespread testing. The Indian drug manufacturer has also enabled India to supply hydroxychloroquine to 140 countries," he said.
Australian health minister Gregory Andrew Hunt acknowledged India's support to world health care infrastructure.
"India supply inexpensive generic drugs up to 60 per cent of the world's medicine...India can also help Australia in researching new medicines for rare disease using Genomics and Stem Cell Technology," said Hunt.
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