The last budget raised some of the allocations supporting the vision of healthcare for all and importantly brought the idea of a healthy India and its linked socio-economic benefits to prominence. However, given the ambitious task at hand allocations will have to be raised systematically and exponentially year on year, for the realisation of the dream. Additionally, they must be focused to solve the most pressing issues impeding progress.

Dr Gurpreet Sandhu, President, CHP said, "We hope, the coming budget will address deficiencies while providing a strong impetus and necessary monetary allocations to capacity building. Qualified doctors, nurses and paramedics are in short supply and it is important to establish and resource medical colleges adequately, while drastically increasing seats for specialisation and super specialisation in medical institutions. On the input side, the pharmaceutical industry, medical devices, primary care facilities and hospitals all need scale, encouragement and supportive policies to meet the expectations and growing healthcare needs of the country."

He added, "Preventive actions that encourage and keep people healthy must be promoted alongside health insurance that should cover both preventive and curative aspects including, diagnosis, periodic medical consults, preventive check-ups, traditional and allopathic medicines, hospital admissions, surgeries, medical implants and devices. Traditional medicine along with the availability of cutting-edge medicines and technologies must be encouraged and supported through benign policy and budgetary actions that encourage R&D efforts in the country."

A framework with investment templates that encourage public-private partnerships, build mutual trust and provide fair rewards for entrepreneurship, human endeavour and sustainable development of the sector is required. This could take the form of tax cuts, tax incentives, streamlined payments, lowered Capex costs to attract creation and upgradation of supportive infrastructure and manufacturing facilities.

Alongside IT, India had a head start in this sector and has served the globe well, reaching a level of maturity. While IT has continued to grow some parts in the health sector have experienced a lag. In a dynamic market India needs to remain globally competitive. This can be achieved if the country is known for quality, efficiency and cost structure. India, therefore, needs to have a scale and significant market share, to be preferred global providers of modern healthcare, pharmaceuticals and adjunct services.

India would do well to encourage these aspects in the forthcoming Union budget maintaining the course that it has embarked upon.

The Council for Healthcare and Pharma (CHP) is an integrated, not-for-profit, Global think tank that advocates the development of sustainable health systems around the World. It looks at engaging with Governments and other stakeholders to adopt rational approaches that capture benefits, that accrue through the optimization of the eco-system and value chain involved in treating diseases and keeping people healthy. CHP members include global Pharmaceutical companies, Providers of Diagnostics, Medical device Manufacturers, Hospitals and adjunct services.

The Council believes that in a world of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity where the disease burden continues to grow, R&D, New Technologies and Pressures to enhance Quality and Access at a lower cost will drive the solutions. A mega integrated hub and spokes model that draws in all stakeholders and constituents will have to achieve sustainable and holistic health.

CHP focuses on Africa, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Japan, the UK and the USA. Its important areas of work are in ease-of-doing-business; increasing competitiveness; broadening access to safe, efficacious and affordable healthcare services and medicines including generics and biosimilars. CHP is guided in its work by expert advisory committee's in Intellectual Property; Market Access; Regulatory Policy; Key Therapeutics - Women's Health, Oncology & Tropical Diseases; Research & Development (R&D); Artificial Intelligence (AI); Environment; Healthcare start-up's.

As a significant and credible stakeholder in alleviating the burden of disease, the CHP brings to bear the collective wisdom of industry and policymakers on health issues that stand to make a positive contribution to society in bringing about Universal healthcare.