HEALTH STATUS OF INDIA

Health is a state subject as per The Constitution of India within the federal set up of the Nation, consisting of a central government and individual state governments. It makes every state responsible for “raising the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health as among its primary duties”. India’s political and public health leadership has led innovative schemes and translated the best of those into policy, and made substantial contributions for advancing population health. The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) was launched in April 2005 by the Government of India with the goal of providing effective healthcare to rural people with a focus on 18 states which have poor public health indicators and/or weak infrastructure. Since the launch of the NRHM, over 157 thousands personnel have been employed to health sector. The Infant mortality rate has declined from 68 to 42 per 1000 live births between 2000 and 2012. Polio has been eliminated from the face of the country. Each year, more than 40 million people, mostly in rural areas, are impoverished and run into massive debts to access healthcare. Healthcare must be made a core priority for the next decade, to enable transformation of the healthcare system, while promoting pro-health policies in other sectors. Kerala (with its strong action on social determinants) and Tamil Nadu (with its efficient public health system) are role models within India. A healthy India is crucial for the country to sustain economic prosperity.