Globalisation and Healthcare Financing in India: Some Emerging Issues

Abstract

The paper highlights the changing scenario of the healthcare financing in India in the wake of globalisation process initiated during early 1990s and the structural changes taking place in the health sector. It attempts a status report of the health sector in India and raises issues related to accessibility, efficiency, and quality of the health delivery in the face of glaring inter-state variations and discouraging healthcare financing situation. the rising health needs particularly in the backward and low income states, sluggish health outcomes, dwindling budgetary allocations and heavy household out-of-pocket expenditure on health pose serious challenges to healthcare financing in India. the paper also discusses the issues likely to be further compounded as global institutions (such as the WTO) are supposed to ensure compliance to Intellectual Property Rights; but, unfortunately, can not provide for the healthcare needs of the poor in India in the face of rising health risks.

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