Union Budget 2026: Healthcare experts on why it's not enough
The new Union Budget is getting some heat for not doing enough about rising medical costs and everyday healthcare struggles.
While the government did remove customs duty on 17 cancer medicines and extended import duty exemptions for medicines imported personally for seven additional rare diseases, experts like Dr. Ravi Wankhedkar feel there's just not enough focus—or funding—for basic healthcare.
Even with these changes, most people still can't afford many of these treatments.
AYUSH push might help alternative medicine gain credibility
Some critics point out that these tax breaks mostly help big multinational companies, not regular patients, since medicine prices haven't dropped much.
Sanjaya Mariwala, MD, OmniActive Health Technologies thinks there should be more incentives for doctors and better partnerships to expand care.
On a positive note, the budget's push for AYUSH (alternative medicine) could boost its credibility by improving pharmacies and drug testing labs—something that might open up more options in the future.