Health Service Inequities as a Challenge to Health Security

Overview

In developing countries, an individual’s social, regional, and/or economic standing determines the quality of health care that they are entitled to. In India, those of a lower status and/or who have a lower income, suffer both worse health and restricted access to health services – largely the result of inequality. This Oxfam India paper focuses on the issues of financing, provisioning, and governance of health services in both the public and private sectors across India’s States. It uses data collected from the States of Tamilnadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar on infant mortality rates and presents findings demonstrating the links between standard of living and health outcomes.