Presently, 75 per cent of healthcare expenditure is borne by the people from their own pockets. Out of this, nearly 70 per cent is spent on OPD care. This is pushing 6.3 crore population of India to poverty every year. This catastrophic healthcare cost is an important cause of impoverishment which in turn adds to poor health.India has roughly 20 health workers per 10,000 population, with 39.6 per cent doctors, 30.5 per cent nurses and midwives, and 1.2 per cent dentists. Total doctor-population ratio 1:1445. It is to be noted that govt. doctors-population ratio is 1:11,926 in contrast to the desired 1:1,000. This is a major cause of inequality in healthcare for the marginalized sections of society who are dependent solely on State healthcare system.WHO recommends a minimum of 5 per cent of the GDP as expenditure on health. The Planning Commission of India had said that State spending on health will be 2.5 per cent of GDP by end of 12th five year plan and 3 per cent by 2022.Interestingly, under the present BJP government, the 2015 NHP draft put this figure at 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2020. The revised NHP 2017 pushed the time frame further to 2025. National Health Mission budget was decreased by 10 per cent. The ICDS budget has been decreased. Nutrition budget decreased by Rs.1000 crore from Rs 3700 crore to Rs 2700 crore in the 2021-22 budget.
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