Inter-state disparities in government health expenditure in India: a study of national rural health mission

Abstract

PurposeThe study aims to compare India's public health expenditure at the international and state levels. The paper also empirically examines the regional disparities in NRHM spending across the 21 selected states of India.Design/methodology/approachThe tools of absolute β-and σ-convergence are used in the analysis to test the regional convergence. The average annual growth rate across the states is the dependent variable for β-convergence, and time is the second dependent variable but is used for s-convergence. In contrast, the initial value of NRHM expenditure and the coefficient of variation of NRHM expenditure are used as independent variables, respectively. Descriptive statistics are also used for the study. The data are annual and cover the panel from 2007 to 2020.FindingsThe study attests to the hypothesis of β-and σ-convergence for the selected states in the period mentioned. The observed convergence in NRHM expenditure is due to the shift in the government's attention from the non-high focus high focus states to high states through the national rural health mission policy. The coefficient of variation across the states also shows a declining trend and provides the robustness of the σ-convergence.Originality/valueAs far as the literature is concerned, none of the existing studies examines the convergence of a public health expenditure scheme like the National Rural Health Mission across the Indian states by applying the techniques of β-and σ-convergence. The novelty of the study is using the newly updated dataset and validating the convergence hypotheses in the National Rural Health Mission expenditure case.

IJHG Review 28.1

“…Staff empowerment in the form of feeling of control over scheduling and shift patterns seemed to be a mitigating factor which served to reduce work-related stress. However this may not be congruent with shift patterns based on cost and efficiency rather than those placing greater value on human factors.This review is based on, Ud Din et al (2023), inter-state disparities in Government Health Expenditure in India: a study of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)…”

“…This review is based on, Ud Din et al (2023), inter-state disparities in Government Health Expenditure in India: a study of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)…”

“…Launched in 2005, the NRHM had a strong focus on community control, monitoring progress against accepted standards and using flexible financing to achieve goals (Nandan, 2010). According to Ud Din et al (2023), the main goals of the NRHM were (1) to incorporate traditional forms of healthcare such as Ayurvedic medicine and homeopathy into the government funded health service, (2) to increase access to affordable primary health care for rural communities, (3) to reduce child and maternal mortality, (4) to control infectious disease and (5) to reduce disparities between available healthcare and health outcomes in different Indian states. The authors focus primarily on this last goal in their report that indicates progress towards convergence in health statistics was effected through the strategy of directing higher levels of resources to poorer-performing areas.…”