Public Healthcare Expenditure Needs in North-Eastern States of India

The present paper assesses the public healthcare expenditure required to provide sufficient primary healthcare facilities as per the Indian Public Health Status (IPHS) norm in the rural areas of north-east India. The analysis is based on the data from Rural Health Statistics (RHS) 2015, National Health Mission framework for implementation and other macroeconomic sources. The present study has found that healthcare facilities (sub-centres, PHCs and CHCs) in the rural areas of north-east India are in a poor condition which is evidenced by shortages of infrastructure, lack of sufficient manpower, drugs and medicines, equipment and other necessary provisions. It is imperative that the north-eastern States should increase their spending on rural public health to provide universal primary healthcare facilities as per the IPHS in the rural areas. An estimated additional amount of about Rs. 68 lakh thousand (equivalent to more than 7 per cent of total public health expenditure or 0.23 per cent of the North-East region’s gross domestic product) at current prices will be required to be spent across the north-eastern States.