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The cornerstone of a Shining India must be the healthcare of the nation. Our country's demographic dividend can accrue only if we accord priority to healthcare. A good place to begin would be to enhance public expenditure. The country needs to augment financial outlay, in line with the stated objective to increase healthcare spends from the current 1.2% of GDP to 2.5%. Public expenditure on health has been declining, a trend that must be reversed. Several studies, including findings from the World Bank and the World Health Organisation, show that greater public spending on health has a positive impact on GDP growth. The IMS Institute's study on healthcare access in India has identified the elements that constitute access to healthcare as: the proximity of a healthcare facility; the capacity and functionality of that facility; and the quality of the resources providing care. These elements come ahead of the price of treatment or medicines. The study across 12 states showed that two thirds of our rural population travels over five km to reach an in-patient facility and 85% of respondents would use public facilities if they were close and offered quality treatment. The study shows that the real barrier to access is the inability to pay out-of-pocket and the lack of insurance cover. A viable public healthcare model requires a combination of financing and non-financing measures. Besides more public expenditure on healthcare, we need focus on infrastructure and capacity building as well as more doctors and nurses. State governments could procure medicines in bulk following the example of the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation, where an efficient mechanism provides access to medicines at affordable prices. The long-term solution to India's healthcare challenges requires a holistic approach and a critical evaluation of existing systems. We need sustainable policy solutions to address financing,
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