Primary healthcare and medical education in Gujarat

Abstract

The chapter discusses the performance of Gujarat in health outcomes, health output, and health-related inputs of infrastructure and manpower along with recent policy changes. It also highlights the problem of meeting the shortage of manpower through expansion of medical and paramedical education in the state. Most of the health outcome and output indicators show significant improvement over time, but manpower input indicators show a sharp decline over time. Neglect of public health infrastructure by the state during mid-1990s to mid-2000s is now corrected. Chiranjivi scheme and ‘108’ emergency services both based on public‒private partnership have achieved remarkable success in Gujarat. Medical education is controlled by the central medical councils and, therefore, the state has created medical educational infrastructure to address the shortage of qualified manpower. Efforts since 2007/08 have started showing improvements in the health performance of the state.