Reimagining healthcare in India through blended finance

A Niti Aayog report has said that about 65 per cent of hospital beds in the country cater to almost 50 per cent of the population and stressed that the number of beds must be increased by at least 30 per cent to ensure equitable access to healthcare facilities for people. In a report titled 'Reimagining Healthcare in India through Blended Finance', the Aayog further said India's healthcare spending is least among BRICS countries. It is noteworthy that around 65 per cent of hospital beds in India cater to almost 50 per cent of the population concentrated in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal and Kerala, the report said. It added that the other 50 per cent of the country's population living in the remaining 21 states and 8 Union Territories (UTs) has access to only 35 per cent of hospital beds. This indicates a need to grow hospitals beds by at least 30 per cent to ensure equitable access to healthcare for citizens in all parts of the country, the report said.