New Delhi sources have reported that union budget 2018 had declared a national healthcare scheme for half a billion of its poorest citizens in a major giveaway to voters in the final budget before a general election. Accordingly the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said India's most vulnerable families would be able to access up to Rs 500,000 rupees a year for hospital cover through the initiative.
Sources have stated that the government currently provides 30,000 rupees towards healthcare for poor families, but that sum is insufficient to cover most medical procedures and the program would take public healthcare in the world's largest democracy to a new aspiration level.
Arun Jaitley said "adequate funds" would
be provided to roll out the insurance program to 500 million of India's
poorest nationwide, where around $190 million was earmarked to improve smaller
local health centers accessed by many of the most vulnerable. Further according
to sources India is home to 1.25 billion people but lacks sufficient
doctors, and state run hospitals are stretched to breaking point.
