Delhi govt allocates Rs 8,685 cr for health in budget 2024-25

New Delhi: The Delhi government allocated Rs 8,685 crore for the health sector in its annual budget for 2024-25 announced on Monday.

Presenting the budget in the Delhi Assembly, Finance Minister Atishi said the city's healthcare system in the last nine years under the Arvind Kejriwal dispensation has moved from a state of 'majboori se majbooti' (helplessness to strength) and 'nirasha se vishwas' (despair to faith).

The minister presented the Delhi budget 2024-25 with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore, and said the government is trying to realise the dream of 'Ram Rajya'.

She said the second principle of Ram Rajya is curing every ailing person.

She then went on to quote a couplet from Goswami Tulsidas' Ramcharitmanas and explained its meaning, saying it speaks for the good health of all.

"It is a matter of misfortune for our country that we are far away from this vision. Till 2014, even Delhi government-run hospitals were in a very bad state. The filth at these hospitals would believe that even treatment could be offered there. It used to appear that if one went there with one disease, one would return with four diseases," the minister said.

Pointing out the poor health infrastructure of the hospitals before the Kejriwal government, Atishi cited dirty floors, broken and smelly toilets, soiled bedsheets, crowded counters at OPDs for which no one was held accountable, long queues at pharmacy counters but no chemists.

Sharing details about the budgetary allocation for the health sector, the minister said, "For the financial year 2024-25, I propose a budgetary outlay of Rs 8,685 crore for the health sector." She also spoke about how the national capital has changed in the last 10 years under the Aam Aadmi Party-led government.

The finance minister said before the Arvind Kejriwal government came to power, a family's hard-earned money used to get exhausted on treatment of its members at private hospitals. Situations also arose where people had to mortgage their house and precious jewels.

"What inhumanity was it that a person was left helpless to save either a family member's life or ancestral assets," she said and quoted a report by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) to buttress her claim.

According to NSSO's 2014 report, even for the treatment of an ordinary disease at a hospital, one person had to bear an expenditure of up to Rs 38,000. In 2014, the per capita income in Delhi was Rs 2.47 lakh, so about 15 per cent was spent on treatment and major disease would lead to a family slipping into debt, she said.

"Then the Kejriwal government took a pledge that we will provide world-class healthcare to all people residing in Delhi, whether they may be rich or poor. In nine years since Kejriwal govt coming to power, the healthcare system has made the journey from a state of 'majboori' to 'majbooti' and 'nirasha' to 'vishwas'," Atishi said.

In her address in the assembly, she also said that there are 38 hospitals under the Delhi government where daily more than 81,000 OPD patients and per month over 65,000 IPD patients are treated free of cost.

In 2014-15, there were 9,523 beds at hospitals and the number rose to 13,708 for the 2024-25 period, she said, adding that about 1.5 times patients are now being given health care.

She also said that OPD counter timings have increased, data entry operators have been employed, and in line with international standards, cleanliness and other services were implemented in a new way.

A list of essential drugs was prepared and emergency medicine procurement was strictly implemented so that there was no shortage at any hospital, the minister said.

Atishi also highlighted the contribution of former Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain and said the "mention of Delhi's health revolution is incomplete" without mentioning his name, and added that Jain bolstered a crumbling health system during his tenure.

"On behalf of the people of Delhi, we thank him, from the bottom of our hearts," she said.

Asserting that "saving every life is Ram Rajya", Atishi said till now, 22,000 lives have been saved under the government's scheme 'Farishtey Dilli Ke'.

The scheme, launched in October 2019, encourages people to rescue those who have met with road accidents.

At present, there are 380 CATS ambulances and the average response time, from 55 minutes has reduced to 15 minutes, in the last 10 years.

On Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics, she said there are 530 AAMCs at present in line with Ram Rajya's vision, and daily 64,000 people are getting free medicines, treatment and tests done, adding over 7 crore OPD visits have happened at these clinics since their inception.