Budget 2026: Health, AYUSH Get Push, Public Health Gaps Remain, Say Experts

Hyderabad: The provisions for medical and health in the Union Budget have drawn mixed reactions from public health experts and civil society members.

Dr Ranga Reddy Burri, representing the Infection Control Academy of India, said the Budget signalled intent but remains skewed towards tertiary care and industry. “While the Budget is strong on specialist infrastructure and pharma innovation, it is weak on prevention, infection control and antibiotic stewardship. Strengthening primary prevention must now move from rhetoric to real budgetary priority,” he said.

Experts noted that public health spending continues to remain below the target of 2.5 per cent of the GDP, with limited focus on health and wellness, immunisation outreach, screening for non-communicable diseases (NCD) and community-level prevention. NCDs account for nearly 75 per cent of all deaths, yet receive less than two per cent of the health budget, doctors pointed out.

Concerns were raised over the high out-of-pocket expenditure, which account for up to 50 per cent of healthcare spending. “Ayushman Bharat’s allocation translates to barely ₹190 per poor person per year, raising concerns about sustainability and quality of care,” said Dr Kiran Madhala, national coordinator, All India Federation of Government Doctors’ Association.

Welcoming steps included the proposal for three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda, upgrades to AYUSH pharmacies and drug testing labs, and regional integrated medical hubs combining modern medicine and AYUSH. However, experts cautioned that public health infrastructure and frontline workers like ASHAs and ANMs remain under-prioritised.

Civil society groups, including Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, demanded a clear roadmap to raise public health spending, strengthen primary care, regulate drug prices and ensure affordability for ordinary citizens.