Jan Swasthya Abhiyan Demands Major Boost in Health Budget Ahead of Union Budget 2026-27
As the Union Budget 2026-27 approaches, the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA) has issued a strong demand for a significant increase in health funding, highlighting that commitments made in the National Health Policy (NHP) 2017 are falling short. The NHP had promised public health spending of 2.5% of GDP by 2025, but current levels remain alarmingly low at just 1.15% of GDP.
Key Demands for Budget 2026-27
In a demand letter endorsed by 350 organisations and individuals, JSA outlined urgent priorities. The coalition calls for the Union government allocations towards health in the 2026-27 budget to be doubled from the current 0.3% of GDP. This move aims to achieve the NHP 2017 goal of 1% of GDP (approximately 5% of the Union Budget) set for 2025 within two years.
Furthermore, JSA experts emphasized that overall public spending on health should be further increased to 3.5% of GDP by 2030 to ensure comprehensive healthcare coverage and system strengthening.
Concerns Over Declining Health Expenditure
At a virtual media conference, Indranil, co-convener of the JSA national secretariat, expressed deep concern about the continuous decline in Union government spending on health in real terms post-Covid. "The policy promised 2.5% of GDP for health, but it is at just 1.15%—a stark gap. To fulfil the NHP commitment, the Union allocations for health in budget 2026–27 should be doubled. It is the same government which made the promise, and now they should honour it," Indranil stated.
Ravi Duggal, a sociologist, health researcher, and activist, highlighted an alarming trend: Union transfers to states for health have fallen from 75.9% in 2014–15 to just 43% in 2024–25 (budget estimates). This decline undermines basic health services and reflects a hyper-centralisation of finances, despite health services largely being within the states' domain.
Specific Allocation Demands
JSA's demands include:
- Doubling the allocation to the National Health Mission (NHM) to support the strengthening and expansion of health services.
- Improving Health and Wellness Centres and ensuring justice for health staff, including ASHAs and contractual workers.
- Transferring at least two-thirds of the Union Health Budget to states, given that states bear two-thirds of the total burden of public health expenditure.
- Using collected health cess amounts to complement, rather than substitute, main budgetary allocations for health.
Critique of Current Healthcare Models
Richa Chintan, co-convener of the JSA national secretariat, pointed out that the harshest budget cuts are affecting programmes crucial for strengthening the public health system, such as the NHM, Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), nutrition, and research. "NHM funds have declined in real terms by 5.5% on average. Even within limited allocations, the thrust continues towards private partnerships and insurance-based models such as PMJAY," Chintan noted.
She added that there is extensive evidence showing the limits of insurance-led healthcare models in ensuring access and equity. JSA advocates for phasing out PMJAY and giving primacy to strengthening and expanding publicly provided healthcare. This includes doubling NHM funds, shifting away from privatisation, and reviving Central pharmaceutical and vaccine public sector undertakings (PSUs).
Support for State-Level Commitments
Ravi Duggal emphasized that during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, states have sustained higher spending levels despite financial constraints. "This commitment must be supported, not undermined," he asserted, calling for a reversal of the declining trend in Union transfers to states to ensure robust health services across India.
As the budget discussions intensify, JSA's demands underscore the critical need for increased investment in public health to meet national policy goals and address systemic gaps in healthcare delivery.
