Rural India Still Has Appalling Healthcare Infrastructure: Study

Arun Maira, member, Planning Commission said, "The healthcare system in India is not delivering affordable, acceptable and accessible healthcare to all Indians - which must be the test of its quality, “as reported by IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics study.

“Fixes to only parts of the system cannot produce the systemic changes required. In fact, some fixes to only a part, without considering their effects on other parts of the system, can backfire as indeed some are," added Maira.

The study is based on a survey of almost 15,000 households which covers all socio-economic groups in rural and urban areas across 12 states, in addition to interviews with over 1,000 doctors and experts.

The problem of inequitable distribution of health care facilities between the rural and urban masses in India can be reduced by addressing physical accessibility of healthcare facilities, availability and capacity of needed resources; quality and functionality of service, and affordability of treatment relative to a patient's income.

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