25 January 2019 | Views
Manish Sacheti, CFO, Ziqitza Healthcare
Healthcare services should be made "zero-rated" under GST provisions instead of 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, in turn, help to enable these specialized services to reach out to the masses.
The Emergency Healthcare sector needs immediate allocation of funds so that every part of the country can have access to quality healthcare and sections of the society are not ignored. While the Government has taken steps like the introduction of bike ambulances, boat ambulances, and mobile medical units which have been helpful in providing aid to the people living in rural areas. However, these efforts have been taken at a state level and not from the centre.
When talking about quality healthcare, while 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. The Government should invest in establishing skill centres, 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, there were 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 emergency medical services have improved and expanded geographically, there is yet a long way ahead.”