Call for Affordable Healthcare: Arora's Appeal

AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjeev Arora urged the government to increase healthcare spending, highlighting affordability issues and recommending regulations on private healthcare pricing. He pointed out the insufficient budgetary allocation for healthcare relative to GDP goals and emphasized the consequences of the current expenditure on families.

In a compelling plea for reform, AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjeev Arora highlighted pressing issues in India's healthcare sector. He urged the government to significantly increase its spending and implement price regulations on private healthcare providers.

Arora emphasized that healthcare should be recognized as a fundamental right, not a privilege. Citing studies, he articulated the financial burdens faced by families, with around 7.5 per cent pushed into poverty due to healthcare expenses.

The current healthcare expenditure stands at a mere 0.27 per cent of the GDP, far below the National Health Policy 2017 goal of 2.5 per cent by 2025. Arora recommended an increase to at least 2.5 per cent, if not more, and advocated for filling vacancies in AIIMS and boosting postgraduate course seats to combat brain drain.