Public health care expenditure in Bihar: An observation
- Bihar Journal of Public Administration
- 22(1-S), Jan-Jun, 2025: p.146-161
Public health-care expenditure contributes significantly to enhancing health outcomes of its population, which is among the most impoverished in India. Therefore,the objectives of this research paper is to critically analyze the level, trends, and patterns of public healthcare expenditure in Bihar and to examine how this spending affects the health outcomes in the state. The study design is exploratory in nature. It focuses on Bihar state, covering the period from 2017 to 2024. It was found that the government’s focus shifted from general upgrades in healthcare facilities and services towards targeted interventions like vaccination drives, expanding healthcare infrastructure, and specific capital outlays like new hospitals and medical colleges. However, the percentage of its budget dedicated to health does not consistently align with or exceed the average of other states. Therefore, the study underscores the importance of a robust institutional framework, transparency, and accountability mechanisms to enhance the efficiency of public health expenditure as well as health outcome. – Reproduced