Emergency Healthcare needs a Push

Healthcare
Manish Sacheti, CFO, Ziqitza Heathcare Ltd

Healthcare services must be “zero-rated” under GST provisions than being exempted such that the cost of inputs throughout the industry can further be reduced by claiming refunds of taxes paid on these inputs. This will enable specialized services to reach out to the masses.

The Emergency Healthcare sector needs immediate allocation of funds so that even remote areas of the country can have access to quality healthcare. Government has taken steps like the introduction of bike ambulances, boat ambulances, and mobile medical units, which provide aid to the people in rural areas. However, the such efforts are taken at state levels..

Emphasis has been laid on access to healthcare, emergency services have not been given due importance. Training is also a critical part of ambulance service and paying close attention to this factor in indispensable. Government needs to invest in establishing skill centers, which can train paramedics who are well versed in handling accidents and various other emergencies. Another area of focus is setting norms to station ambulance service in huge corporate parks and complexes. Last year, in Mumbai alone, 12 major fires broke out in corporate parks, causing more than 20 deaths in total. This will help in providing immediate medical aid in case of such accidents, hence reducing the loss of life.

In recent times the face of the emergency medical services (EMS) in India, has undergone a drastic transformation. While the country’s emergency medical services have improved and expanded geographically, there is yet a long way ahead.

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