India spent 1.19% GDP on health in 2011: Government

NEW DELHI: The public expenditure on health as percentage of GDP for India was 1.19 per cent in 2011 as compared to 2.85 per cent in China, the government today said.

"As per World Health statistics 2014 published by World Health Organisation ( WHO), general government expenditure on health as percentage of GDP in 2011 for India is 1.19 per cent as compared to 2.85 per cent in China and 4.07 per cent in Brazil," Health Minister J P Nadda informed the Rajya Sabha.

He said the WHO has never formally adopted or recommended a target size for heath sector as a share of GDP.

The Health Minister said the Centre's budgetary allocation for health sector for 2015-16 is Rs 32,068.17 crore as against Rs 31,965.00 crore in 2014-15 (Revised Estimates).

Additionally, as per the recommendations of XIVth Finance Commission, the tax devolution to states of 42 per cent of Union's net tax reciepts will allow states greater autonomy in financing and designing of schemes as per their need, he said.

Replying to another question, Nadda said the 12th Five year plan has targeted to increase the public spending on core health for Centre and states together to 1.87 per cent of GDP by the end of 12th Plan.

He said the funding of public health expenditure is presently met from government budgetary recources. The existing policy envisages general taxation as the major source of financing of the public health sector.

"To ensure proper utilisation of funds and to provide healthcare facilities to all citizens, government has taken several steps including organising periodical review meetings, jointing monitoring missions, conducting external surveys... undertaking common review missions on annual basis, conducting monthly concurrent audit and annual audit of the state and district health societies, performance audit by CAG, mid-term appraisal by Niti Aayog and others," Nadda said.