Budget Expectations: Allocation of Rs 1 lakh crore can be given for the first time, cervical cancer vaccine also free
New Delhi| The health sector, which is essential for the health of the country, may get an allocation of Rs 1 lakh crore for the first time in the second general budget of Modi 3.0. Part of this could be for free cervical anti-cancer vaccination for girls between nine and 14 years of age. The Health Ministry has sought a budget of over Rs 1 lakh crore from the Finance Ministry to further enhance disease control and research activities along with continuation of various health schemes, a top official said.
The official said, this time’s budget is also expected to achieve a new milestone because the health sector received Rs 75,731 crore in 2022, Rs 80,518 crore in 2023 and Rs 90,659 crore in 2024. The bulk of the budget received during the same period was given to the National Health Mission (NHM) at Rs 31,279 crore, Rs 31,551 crore and Rs 36,000 crore respectively. These trends of budget growth for the health sector form the basis of expectations of Rs 1 lakh crore this time.
Vaccination will start this year as soon as funds are received
The Minister of Finance announced vaccination for the prevention of cervical cancer in the interim budget for 2024. However, due to lack of funds this program has not started yet. An official of the National Immunization Committee said, Pune-based Serum Institute of India is producing the vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer. The process of free vaccination has progressed to a great extent in the country. It can be started only a few weeks after receiving funds in this budget. In the next two to three months, the program could be launched nationwide, costing around Rs 2,000 crore.
Importance of vaccine for the country
This vaccination is necessary because cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the country. In the year 2022, close to 1,27,000 new cases of cervical cancer were reported in India. To avoid this, a vaccine called HPV is given. This is an indigenous vaccine prepared in India itself.
NHM is providing nine types of benefits
A health ministry director said the budget increase is important because many of the Centre’s ambitious schemes run under NHM. The government has been delivering nine types of health benefits to the public under the scheme since 2014. Under this scheme, Mission Indradhanush is being run, in which newborns are vaccinated. So far, 5.46 crore children and 1.32 crore pregnant women have been vaccinated.
