State’s budgetary allocation for public health on the decline in last three years

While chief minister Eknath Shinde is talking about doubling the expenditure on public health, an analysis of the last three budgets has revealed that the allocation has been on a downward spiral - from 5.09% in 2021-22 to 4.01% in the current financial year.

This is also at a time when the state government is drawing flak after deaths were reported at the government hospitals in Nanded, Aurangabad, Nagpur, and Shinde’s hometown, Thane.

On Monday, Shinde chaired a meeting to discuss measures to improve the public health system where two deputy CMs – Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar – were present. As per a presentation made at the meeting, the government spending on health infrastructure has gone down in the last three years and on the other hand, the number of patients taking treatment in government hospitals has increased.

“In 2021-22, the state budget size was ₹4,53,546.83 crore. Of this, ₹18,802.80 crore was allocated for the public health department and ₹4,265.61 crore was allocated for the medical education department, which put together constituted 5.09% of the budget. Out of a budget of ₹5,47,449.98 crore in the 2023-24 financial year, ₹17,386.39 crore was given to the public health department and ₹4,553.84 crore was allocated for the medical education department. Put together, the percentage earmarked for public health stood at 4.01,” the presentation said.

On the other hand, there is a rise in patients at the government hospitals. “In 2021-22, a total of 1,66,66,626 patients took treatment in the outpatient department (OPD) and 19,51,308 patients were admitted to hospitals. The figure for OPD jumped to 2,62,28,044 in 2022-23 while the number of patients admitted went up to 25,05,519. In the current financial year, 1,14,67,977 visited OPD in the first five months (up to August-end) and the number of admissions was 10,20,699,” the presentation stated.

“We have pointed out that the number of patients taking treatment in government hospitals has been increasing in the last few years. However, the allocation for public health has been going down. We have also asked for more funds to the tune of ₹2,278 crore,” an official from the public health department said.