The Political Journey of Healthcare in Select Indian States

Abstract:

Understanding India’s progress on health requires an examination of such progress across different states. While many aspects, including fiscal health, governance, institutional capacity, and others influence health progress, the political priority accorded to health by a state’s leadership remains a key driver. This paper examines the socio-political determinants of attention to health in five Indian states.

The analysis surfaces four insights. One, political ideology plays a role in driving attention to health, but political legitimacy can be linked with healthcare to drive attention in the absence of an ideological driver. External stakeholders can create the environment where legitimacy is linked with healthcare. Two, sensitizing politicians to electorally rewarding policies elsewhere, and relevant to the state’s development journey , can motivate them to act. Three, state capacity is a key variable in the confidence to undertake reforms and the choice of reforms. Four, both the Central government and external stakeholders such as civil society can contribute to agenda setting at the state level.

Authors: Sandhya Venkateswaran, Mayank Mishra and Nikhil Iyer