Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development

Kasturi Goswami ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Economics, Assam Don Bosco University, Tapesia Gardens, Kamrup, Assam, IN

Abstract

The rapid growth of the total health expenditure (THE) is an issue of major concern in most of the countries. Total health expenditure is defined as the sum of both public and private health spending in consideration of the ratio of total population of the country. This paper offers an integrated view of the relationships between health spending, productivity and its effects on gross domestic product. This paper aims to investigate an empirical association between healthcare expenditure out of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the BRICS Nations. Data on health expenditure and GDP for the period from 2000 to 2018 from World Bank and WHO was used to analyse the relationship between health expenditure as a percentage share of GDP and GDP of the BRICS countries are used. The data was segregated into two sections and analysed for two decades. The study reveals that in both the decades the total health expenditure as a percentage share of GDP has a direct proportional relationship with GDP for the BRICS nations, except for Brazil in the second decade where an inversely proportional relationship between the two variables is observed.

Keywords

Total Health Expenditure, BRICS Nations, GDP.

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Kasturi Goswami ¹

Affiliations
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Assam Don Bosco University, Tapesia Gardens, Kamrup, Assam, IN

Abstract

Health is considered as a basic asset because ill health disables us from fulfilling our responsibilities both on social and personal grounds. The objective of the paper is to access the status of health infrastructure, health facilities and expenditure pattern on health sector in the state of Assam. It tries to answer the question if the increase in the number of health care facilities is enough to ensure good health and well being of the people. The objective is fulfilled through the analysis of the secondary data collected from Statistical Hand Book of Assam on various Medical and Public Health is compared and analysed for the period mostly through tabular method. It was seen that the percentage share of Revenue Expenditure of the Government of Assam on Medical and Family Health to Revenue Expenditure of the State Govt has increased from 7.58% in 2011-12 to almost twice to 14.75% in 2017-18. Similarly the health care facilities, in terms of the number of medical institutions, medical staff and number of beds in different institutions have increased. There was a nominal decline in the birth rate as well as the death rate can be due improvement and availability of better health care facilities to the people. It was also seen that there was a decline in the fertility rates in the state of Assam. However, health is not just the physical wellbeing of an individual but also the social, emotional and cultural wellbeing of the whole community. So it’s not just the health care services and expenditure on health care services that leads to good health and well-being, but also other factors like general socio-economic, cultural and environmental conditions that highly influences good health and well being of the people in a country or a nation.

Keywords

Health Care Facilities, Health Status, Well-Being, Assam.

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