As we mark World Health Day today (April 7), Gujarat witnesses an average expenditure of ₹7,000 annually on hospital admissions.

Gujarat ranks fourth among states where families incur the highest annual expenditure on hospital admissions. 

According to a study by the National Sample Survey Office, Kerala ranks first with an average expenditure of ₹13,140 per urban family, followed by Maharashtra at ₹9,122, Punjab at ₹8,272, and Gujarat at ₹7,711.

In urban areas of Gujarat, the average cost of hospital admission is ₹2,014. In comparison, the cost in rural areas is significantly lower. The report states that the average annual expenditure per rural family for hospital admission in Gujarat is ₹4,071.

Thus, the cost of hospital admissions in rural areas is 48% less than in urban areas. Gujarat ranks sixth among states with the highest annual expenditure on healthcare. In the financial year 2018-19, the average annual health expenditure per person in Gujarat was ₹1,751.

Over 1.44 cr patients registered at PHC

As of January 2025, more than 1.44 crore patients have received Outpatient Department (OPD) services through primary health centres (PHC) in Gujarat, and over 1.31 crore patients through community health centres, according to the Health Department. 

Moreover, the department has been providing enhanced treatment to patients with leprosy, resulting in the rate of prevalence in the state being maintained at just 0.39.

The Health Department has decided to start palliative care wards in six government hospitals to provide not just treatment but also care for terminally ill patients in the final stages of life. 

Moreover, advanced medical equipment worth ₹100 crore will be made available at state government medical colleges, affiliated hospitals, the M & J Institute of Ophthalmology, and the Spine Institute in Ahmedabad, as stated by the Health Department.