Health protection scehme- a welcome step towards accessible health care: Prathap
29 February, Hyderabad
Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited, Monday welcomed the transformative budget presented by the Finance Minister.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced the Union Budget 2016-17 today and he laid out the roadmap to ensure macro-economic stability and prudent fiscal management”. Accordingly, the budget proposals provided ways to ensure growth while tackling tough economic conditions, the hospitals said in a statement here.
Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said: Today the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has presented a comprehensive budget covering the livelihood of Indias soul its rural population.
The Union Budget 2016-17 seems to be aimed at putting more money in the hands of the citizens, he said and adding that the healthcare has finally taken center stage in the Budget with initiatives like the Health Protection Scheme of Rs 1 lakh to cover unforeseen illness in poor families with an additional Rs 30,000 for senior citizens.
In addition, the government also plans to add 3,000 pharmacies under the Jan Aushadhi Yojana to provide generic drugs at affordable rates.
Ms. Suneeta Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals said The Health Protection Scheme, Jan Aushadhi Yojana and the National Dialysis Services Program are steps in the right direction to address the health issues facing our people a healthy India will ensure the vitality of not just the economy but also its people.
In the present day, our country is reeling under the burden of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in the form of cardiovascular diseases, cancers and diabetes which are the leading cause of mortality, accounting for 60 per cent of all mortalities in India as per a WHO Report.
The budget has also addressed the issue of NCDs in particular diabetes one of the primary reasons for kidney failure which requires regular dialysis. The Finance Minister has announced the National Dialysis Services Program, to tackle renal diseases .
Public and Private sectors need to work together to bring awareness on early detection.
The Finance Minister, using the power of Minimum Government and Maximum Governance announced the working with private sector on a National Dialysis Services Programme, which could not have come at a better time, given the burgeoning growth of non-communicable diseases, she
According to the Finance Minister, the programme will be made available in all district hospitals on a public-private partnership model and on behalf of all the healthcare private sector providers, we welcome this endeavour, Dr Reddy added.