Using data from a household survey in West Bengal, the purpose of this paper is to identify the relative risks of catastrophic healthcare expenditures for different types of health need, and the impact of such expenditure on household coping strategies. It concludes that Catastrophic health spending is an important problem for the population in West Bengal. More attention is needed on the poverty-inducing effects of long-term expenditures on chronic illness, given that existing schemes only address hospitalization.
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India is on a fast-track growth path and the health care market is opening up with new opportunities. However, impressive growth with inadequate social protection may lead to newer vulnerabilities, inequalities, and health related poverty. The study focused on one Indian state (West Bengal) to explore the link between health, poverty, and equity against this dynamic backdrop. Primary data - from households and different types of providers - were collected from three districts of the state.
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Despite a strong infrastructural base of the public health care facilities in many Indian states, the majority of outpatient services, especially in the rural areas, are provided by private health care providers, most of whom practice modern allopathy without any formal training. This research brief attempts to present some recent evidences to help understand the role and relevance of rural medical practitioners (RMPs) in the context of West Bengal's health care system.
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This document presents the key results of a recent research on the health care system of the Indian Sundarbans conducted by Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR) in West Bengal, India
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The present research brief presents some recent evidences on the incidence of catastrophic financial shocks experienced by the users of public vis-à-vis private hospitals in one Indian state (West Bengal). The scenario is especially interesting in West Bengal, where public sector plays a dominant role in providing inpatient care. The findings presented below would therefore help understand whether and to what extent a strong presence of public sector is an adequate instrument for financial protection.
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Despite overall achievement in immunization coverage, there is a growing concern among the West Bengal state’s decision-makers about relatively lower performance in several regions within the state. These are typical difficult pockets where severebarriers are perceived to exist on the way of accessing public health services.
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