Pre-Budget expectations: Sandeep Verma, Country Head, Bayer Consumer Health Division

The pandemic highlighted the significance of the National Health Mission (NHM) and the need for preventive health care. The budget should focus on more allocations towards NHM, and the strengthening of primary care capabilities to tackle vulnerabilities faced by the health system. The self-care industry is projected to grow rapidly with an enhanced consumer focus on health. While the focus to shift toward preventive healthcare continues, consumers are prioritising their health and wellness needs thus making it imperative to ensure health solutions are made accessible and affordable to them. Certain components of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) are aimed at transforming healthcare in the country. However, further investments are required to push for more adoption and make the system more robust toward healthcare delivery. Tax incentives and benefits should be offered to companies working in the space of advanced technologies and innovative healthcare delivery.