Countries that have managed ‘universal healthcare for free’ through taxation have three things in common. They are invariably small countries with a high tax-to-GDP ratio of more than 30% and spend more than 10% of GDP on healthcare.
India is the world’s most populous country with a tax-to-GDP ratio of 11.70% and spends 3.16% of the GDP on healthcare. The government’s contribution is 1.28% and out-of-pocket health expenditure is 1.52% of GDP. We can’t expect the government to enhance budgetary allocation to healthcare significantly.
Read full opinion on TOI+
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
END OF ARTICLE
-
Reimagine Republic Day with less guns, more Gandhian approach
-
Appointments, disappointments: Is the wrong person appointed a judge? Is the right person rejected? Here’s what some judges say
-
Reconstituting our rights: On R-Day, let’s admit that we need to reimagine our Constitution, which is still too colonial
-
Be wise, Centre & SC: Better than court’s stand & GoI’s proposal is revising the collegium’s memorandum of procedure
-
Rock the jailhouse: Too many Indians are locked up under dozens of obsolete laws. Legal reform must precede prison reform
-
‘Country, Constitution have provided safeguards’: Ex-DGP of Gujarat argues BBC’s Modi documentary doesn’t get the key points about Indian Muslims like him
-
Don’t judge views: Criticising govts can’t be a disqualification for judgeship
-
No entry, no deal: Without more visas, UK FTA makes little sense for India
-
Pak’s many confusing faces: All too often when Pakistan leaders offer grand talks, like PM Sharif did, hasty clarifications & aggressive rhetoric follow
-
Take down the rule: Allowing PIB, govt departments to take down news deemed “fake” will stifle journalism
