Pre-budget expectation 2021: Amitoz Singh, Founder & CEO, Nirvasa Healthcare   

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed gaps in India’s healthcare system especially in terms of preparedness to handle contingencies. The healthcare needs additional focus and higher monetary weightage in the upcoming budget. The government must not only focus on ramping up medical infrastructure and subsidize healthcare providers but also consider private companies as a partner in generating better health solutions. A few months after the COVID-19 breakout, private companies made India self-sufficient in terms of the availability of PPE kits, essential dietary supplements, masks and sanitisers amid an ever-spiralling demand. Thus, the government is expected to ease out restrictions for them in accessing lands and funding, so that India’s healthcare setup puts a strong foot forward in the times to come. This would help expand the reach of premium healthcare products in regions which have less access to quality healthcare, especially tier II cities and rural belts.