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Tamil Nadu has increased its healthcare spending by about 6.6% this year through the State Budget presented by Finance Minister N. Marie Wilson on August 5, 2026 allocating ₹23,357 crore, and continuing its steady increase in public health allocations over the past few years. The announcements for the health sector include 1,000 Mobile Geriatric Treatment Centres, maternity care and support centres and a Hub-and-Spoke medical system for cancer care.
There has been a year-on-year increase in Tamil Nadu’s health allocation, with the amount rising from ₹20,197 crore in 2024-2025 to ₹21,905 crore in 2025-2026. While the allocation increased by 8.45% in the previous year, the current year’s increase stands at 6.62%. Despite drawing differing views, the TVK government went ahead and allocated ₹560 crore in the Revised Budget Estimates for its “Thai Maaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam,” in which every newborn delivered in a government hospital will receive a one-gram gold ring.
The government allocated ₹33 crore for establishing mobile geriatric centres for senior citizens. To be introduced in phases across the State, each centre will have a team comprising a doctor, a nurse and a physiotherapist, who will visit every village panchayat to conduct free health check-ups and provide medicines for chronic conditions.
It will also set up “Thai Care”, maternity care and support centres for pregnant women. They can stay at these centres to receive care as their delivery date approaches. The centres will offer free meals, medical support, and continuous health monitoring. A total of ₹23 crore was allocated for the scheme. The government allocated ₹18.5 crore for a telemedicine system based on a “Hub-and-Spoke” hospital model to ensure access to specialised medical care for people in remote and rural areas. Five hubs staffed by specialist doctors will be linked to 200 spokes at Primary Health Centres and government hospitals through an online network. Over the next five years, this network will be expanded to 1,000 hubs and spokes.
Like previous years, cancer care continued to be a priority area. The government will establish a “Hub-and-Spoke” medical system for cancer care. Five zonal cancer care hospitals will be established as primary points of contact for patients and will also undertake research and development activities in cancer care. Financial allocation for medicines were increased by ₹100 crore to ensure uninterrupted supply of medicines.
However, the health announcements in the Budget fell short to address the need to increase manpower. The Tamil Nadu Nurses Empowerment Association expressed disappointment over the Budget, stating that it did not have any announcements benefitting government employees and healthcare staff, particularly nurses. It stated that there was no announcement on the regularisation of services of nurses currently working on consolidated pay nor on new recruitments.
Published – August 06, 2026 12:13 am IST