Now Reading: Health aid cuts, rising debt demand smarter public spending
-
01
Health aid cuts, rising debt demand smarter public spending
The Hindu reports that global health aid is shrinking fast. The US cut foreign assistance by 67% in early 2025, with the UK, France, and Germany slashing 39%, 35%, and 12% respectively.…
The Story in Brief
The Hindu reports that global health aid is shrinking fast. The US cut foreign assistance by 67% in early 2025, with the UK, France, and Germany slashing 39%, 35%, and 12% respectively. Meanwhile, developing countries' public debt hit a record $31 trillion in 2024, squeezing budgets. The World Bank says health budgets in low- and middle-income countries are executed at only 85%-90%. In India, a parliamentary panel found just two-thirds of the flagship health infrastructure allocation was spent in 2024-25, and only 26% of National Health Mission funds for disease programmes were actually used.
The Indian Opinion
The usual cry is for more money, but the real scandal is that India spends only 26% of allocated National Health Mission funds on disease programmes. Blaming funding gaps alone ignores chronic underspending, poor governance, and a tilt toward costly curative care over prevention. The test will be whether Budget 2026 shows actual execution rates rising, not just higher allocations.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
