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The Hindu
10 hours ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Study finds public health spending has not resulted in significant pro-poor services in India
An analysis of equity between urban and rural health services using Benefit Incidence Analysis (BIA), a tool to estimate the equity of healthcare benefits accrued to individuals across socio-economic groups, has found that public spending has not resulted in significantly pro-poor services in India. The paper titled 'Benefit Incidence of Public Health Expenditure in India: Urban–Rural Equity Matters for Universal Health Coverage' has been published in the Journal of Health Management, a Sage Journals publication. A team of researchers led by faculty from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bengaluru, used data from the 75th National Sample Survey (NSS) round done in 2017-2018 for the analysis. Disease burden, out-of-pocket expenses, and non-utilisation of public health services for outpatient and inpatient care were analysed. Concentration curves and indices were calculated for rural and urban areas. 'This article represents the most recent BIA completed in India and presents an analysis of the distribution of public spending in outpatient and inpatient care. The results help illustrate the extent of the effectiveness of resource allocation on public health by the government in meeting the needs of vulnerable populations,' said Denny John, professor - public health, faculty of life and allied health sciences at M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences. Pro-poor inpatient care, pro-rich out-patient care Dr. John, who is the corresponding author of the paper, told The Hindu that when both outpatient and inpatient care are considered together, public health spending approaches a more equitable distribution. However, for inpatient care, public health spending is more pro-poor, whereas for outpatient care, it is more pro-rich. In rural areas, public health spending on outpatient and inpatient care is more pro-poor compared to urban areas, where it tends to be more pro-rich, he explained. In rural areas, the utilisation of public health facilities for both outpatient and inpatient care is concentrated among non-poor individuals but is more pro-poor for outpatient care. 'To fulfil the health needs of the urban and rural populations, public health funding must be appropriately allocated. This study sought to determine whether such practices were present in India. Results at the national level show a patchy distribution of equality in public spending between urban and rural people,' the doctor said. Disparities in access to healthcare The launch of Ayushman Bharat in 2018 marked India's start toward universal health coverage (UHC). However, various studies have shown that only 1.28% of India's GDP, or roughly ₹1.58 trillion, is allocated to public health spending, one of the lowest rates in the world. Besides, there are disparities in access to healthcare between urban and rural areas, and a lack of accountability. 'This research yields a number of important conclusions. Overall, at the national level, the non-poor are the main users of public health facilities for both inpatient and outpatient care. Our examination of public spending reveals that we are getting close to achieving equality. Spending on public health is getting closer to parity when outpatient and inpatient treatment are taken into account jointly. However, public health spending is more pro-poor for inpatient care, but more pro-rich for outpatient care. Outpatient and inpatient public health spending in rural areas benefits the poor, whereas in urban areas, it tends to benefit the wealthy,' Dr. John said. In order to better target the underprivileged in rural and urban areas and achieve UHC in India, policymakers should use these statistics to increase the amount of detail in their work and monitor levels and equity patterns in government health spending, he added.
New Indian Express
22-04-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
1.3 lakh Telangana people living with HIV
HYDERABAD: A totals of 1,37,426 individuals are living with HIV and receiving Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in Telangana as of January 2025. Among them, 69,940 are women and 60,640 are men while 781 identify as transgenders. According to the 75th National Sample Survey titled 'Women and Men in India 2024' report, released recently by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) of Government of India, the pediatric population includes 2,232 boys and 2,046 girls, signalling a critical need for continued support in paediatric HIV care. The report presented the picture of gender-specific indicators of various states. As per the report, tobacco consumption among adults aged 15 and above in Telangana shows a stark gender contrast between male and female with 22.3% of men and 5.6% women using tobacco products. Literacy among young population encouraging Encouragingly, literacy among Telangana's youth (aged 15-24) is approaching universality. The male youth literacy rate stands at 98.16%, while the female literacy rate is 95.48%, bringing the total to 96.88%. These figures suggest strong educational outcomes among the younger population. When assessing functional literacy -- defined as the ability to read and write short, simple statements with understanding -- 82.8% of men qualify, compared to only 67.9% of women. The overall figure is 75.4%, indicating the need to focus on adult female literacy programmes. At the same time, educational disparities persist among adults aged 25 and above. In Telangana, 62.7% of men have completed at least secondary education, compared to 41.3% of women, with the total average at 51.7%.
