New Delhi, Jan 29 || Increasing public health spending has improved access and affordability of preventive and curative care in the country, according to the Economic Survey 2025-26 on Thursday.
The Economic Survey tabled in the Parliament by the Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, drew attention to the importance of enhancements in public health for strengthening human capital and economic productivity.
“The country has made significant improvements in increasing access to healthcare by providing better and more affordable facilities through public investment in health, including access to preventive and curative care, nutrition, and health insurance,” it said.
The improvements can be seen in reduced infant and maternal mortality rates, expanding immunisation coverage, and increasing access to primary healthcare services.
Initiatives like the National Health Mission, Ayushman Bharat, and various disease control programmes have contributed to these advancements.
The Survey documented that since 1990, India has reduced its maternal mortality rate (MMR) by 86 per cent, far exceeding the global average of 48 per cent.