Home » Politics

Budget 2018 | National Health Mission: The institutional barrier

Even as the new National Health Policy of 2017 urges a widening of the service net, can outcomes improve without reform of underlying institutional shortcomings?
Accountability Initiative
The National Health Mission has been focused on improving infrastructure and access since its inception, but public healthcare facilities remains the last resort for most people. Photo: AFP
The National Health Mission has been focused on improving infrastructure and access since its inception, but public healthcare facilities remains the last resort for most people. Photo: AFP

The National Health Mission has been focused on improving infrastructure and access since its inception. Yet, public healthcare facilities remains the last resort for most people, inhibited by poor service quality. Even as the new National Health Policy of 2017 urges a widening of the service net, can outcomes improve without reform of underlying institutional shortcomings?

Use of public healthcare

Unspent balances available with 27 state health societies

Amount spent out of total budget including committed liabilities from previous year

Norm and reality

The staffing constraint

Graphics by Ahmed Raza Khan/Mint

Topics: National Health Mission National Health Policy public healthcare Budget 2018 healthcare allocation