- विज्ञापन -
New Delhi: Health experts have hailed the Union Budget for 2025-26 as a pivotal advancement for the healthcare sector, particularly benefiting cancer patients. On Saturday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her eighth consecutive budget, marking the NDA government’s second full budget during its third term.
Key announcements included the addition of 10,000 new seats in medical colleges and the establishment of daycare cancer centers in every district hospital. The Finance Minister also introduced customs duty exemptions on 36 life-saving drugs, aimed at alleviating the financial burden on patients, especially those with cancer, rare diseases, and other serious chronic conditions.
Abhay Soi, President of NATHEALTH, remarked that this budget signifies a major step forward for healthcare, emphasizing Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and improving the business environment. He highlighted the importance of private sector collaboration in establishing healthcare as a key component of Viksit Bharat.
Recent cancer statistics reveal that head and neck cancers, breast cancer, and gynecological cancers constitute nearly 70% of the cancer burden in India. Dr. D S Rana, Chairman of the Trust Board at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, noted that first-line chemotherapy can be effectively administered at well-equipped daycare centers with proper training, which will help manage a significant portion of the nation’s cancer cases.
Raj Gore, CEO of the Lead FICCI Cancer Task Force, stated that the full customs duty exemption on 36 life-saving drugs, including those for cancer, will reduce treatment costs and improve accessibility for more patients. He further emphasized that daycare cancer centers in district hospitals will enhance access, particularly in rural and remote regions.
While Dr. Sabine Kapasi, a public health expert, welcomed the increase in medical seats, she stressed the importance of improving quality standards and optimizing the existing healthcare system for sustainable advancements in healthcare delivery.
However, the Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD) expressed disappointment over the budget’s lack of investment promotion measures for the medical devices sector, which is heavily reliant on imports. Rajiv Nath, Forum Coordinator of AiMeD, acknowledged the overall positive macro-economic and policy directions but criticized the absence of support for their industry.
Pavan Choudary, Chairman of the Medical Technology Association of India (MTai), highlighted that simplifying visa procedures for patients seeking treatment in India is likely to boost the medical tourism sector, facilitating greater cross-border movement of patients and healthcare providers.
