Rural Healthcare Situation in India:The Malaise Continues

After independence the government adopted a welfare state approach and envisaged a national health system in which the State were required to play a leading role in determining priorities and financing for providing health services to the population (Bhore Committee Report, 1946). The New Economic Policy of 1991, has resulted in high growth rate trajectory of 9 % for India, however, this rapid economic development has not been accompanied by social development particularly the health sector. Health sector has been accorded very low priority as is evident from low allocation of resources by the government. Public expenditure on health in India is less than 1 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), one of the lowest across the globe. The worst affected due to this policy are poor especially residing in rural areas, who have meagre financial resources and dependent on public healthcare facilities.