THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The health sector received a significant boost with an allocation of over Rs 2,000 crore in the revised budget, heavily prioritising preventive healthcare and super-specialty services with a keen focus by V D Satheesan on reducing the high out-of-pocket medical expenses that heavily burden the public.
This intervention is considered highly relevant in Kerala’s current context, where rising morbidity rates and escalating treatment costs remain a primary concern for common citizens.
Dr Althaf A, a public health expert and professor of community medicine at Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital, lauded the long-term vision of the budget, stating that initiatives like the cancer-prevention programme, road accident reduction schemes, senior citizen fitness parks, and formation of School Health Brigade are crucial, forward-thinking steps aimed at reducing the state’s overall burden of illness.
He pointed out that the project ensuring “golden hour” emergency treatment would make high-quality, life-saving care far more accessible to ordinary people.
To position Kerala as a premier global medical hub, the budget introduced the mega Health and Life Science City project -- modelled after international benchmarks like Dubai Healthcare City and Navi Mumbai International MediCity -- to attract global healthcare brands and provide immense opportunities for local human resources. However, the budget drew sharp criticism from the Opposition regarding its flagship welfare promise.
The Oommen Chandy Health Insurance Scheme, which promises an ambitious Rs 25 lakh coverage per family, received a mere Rs 10 crore allocation.