BENGALURU: Healthcare professionals expect more focus to be given to improving infrastructural shortcomings and strengthening medical education and skill training in the country, to improve the quality of services being provided in India.
Prior to the 2023 central budget release, Yuichi Nagano, managing director, of Sakra World Hospital, said that while steps are being taken to digitise the nation, strengthening the medical fraternity holistically in terms of healthcare education, training and skill development, and increasing the number of doctors available is equally important.
Only when India has a strong infrastructure can the country have a public-private partnership to create a technologically-advanced robust healthcare ecosystem, where innovative and affordable health solutions are provided, Nagano added.
Dr Sangita Reddy, joint managing director, of Apollo Hospitals, opined that there is a need to tweak tax slabs, reconsider GST terms and promote health infrastructure and exponential investments in research and development, to address the issue of both affordability and accessibility.
Adding to the issue of GST, Dr Sharan Shivaraj Patil, chairman, of Sparsh Hospital, added that private hospitals are burdened by the lack of GST applicability. While it is not charged to patients, hospitals end up paying GST for everything.
Patil also said that private hospitals have become more involved in government scheme participation, but end up facing losses as government-approved prices are not on par with regular charges. Private hospitals are roped in without any aid being provided, he added.
Encouraging investment in quality medical equipment and reducing Customs for the same, was another common issue brought into focus by several healthcare experts. Patil said most of the medical equipment is imported. If quality healthcare is expected at affordable costs in a private setup, then Customs and GST must be reduced.
High-quality care comes with equipment that is mostly imported, like MRI, CT scans and ventilators. The reduction in patient cost will be directly proportional to the reduction in equipment cost, he added.