Health Status & Programmes in India

Healthcare services in India were utterly inadequate, urban-based and curative in nature at the time of Independence in 1947. Majority of the population, especially the poor and those residing in rural areas, did not have access to modern health facilities. Consequently, the morbidity and mortality rates were quite high. Improvement in the health status of the population has been one of the major thrust areas in social development programmes of India since Independence. Over the past 68 years, India has built up a vast healthcare infrastructure manned by professionals and para-medicals. India has invested massive amounts under the successive Five Year Plans in medical education, training and research which has ensured large manpower from the super-specialists to the auxiliary midwives. Considerable achievements have been made to improve health standards such as increase in life expectancy, decrease in infant and maternal mortality, and eradication of small pox and guinea worm. Nevertheless, problems abound. Malnutrition affects a large proportion of the population especially women and children. An unacceptably high proportion of the population continues to suffer and die from new diseases apart from the existing ones. Pregnancy and childbirth related complications also contribute to the suffering and mortality of women. This book explains and examines the current status of health and health-related services/programmes in India.