Eminent heart surgeon Naresh Trehan on Friday termed the Union Budget for 2003-04 as people-friendly and said it will facilitate cheaper medical services and medicines.

For the first time, healthcare was one of the focus areas in the Budget and giving infrastructural status to health services would encourage setting up of hospitals at a cheaper cost, he said.

Trehan said the benefits of the Budget provisions as far as medicines go, would be reaching the people from April one as customs duty on life-saving drugs have been reduced.

The reduction of customs duty on vital equipment like that for CAT scan would also benefit the common man after three-six months as the imports would take that much time.

Besides, he welcomed the reduction in customs duty on equipment used by the disabled. "More important is the setting up of a health insurance system with which we hope to create hospitals in small villages where basic healthcare facilities can be provided".

By focussing on healthcare, the Budget has sent a very positive and good signal, he added.

PTI