Spatial Analysis of Health Infrastructure Gaps in India: A Study of Rural Punjab

Abstract

Good Health is beyond doubt the most precious gift humans acquire naturally and any region's health care system ensures it for its residents. The present piece of research study aims to analyse the health infrastructure status of rural Punjab as per the projected population of Punjab in 2022. Population norms set by Indian public health standards are taken as key factors for analysing the required number of medical sub-centers (SCs), primary health centers (PHCs), and Community health centers (CHCs), in each district of Punjab, and finally gap is found between the required and existing number of public health units in each tier. This research work observed that highly populated areas face higher shortages and lower populated areas face less shortage of health units. A positive correlation is established between population and health care services availability and shortage of health care units in rural areas of Punjab. Another finding of this research work is that no district yet meets the minimum health standards set by IIPS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Rupnagar, Ludhiana, and Amritsar districts are much behind set norms in comparison to other districts. Indeed, Sangrur, Mansa, SAS Nagar, and Faridkot also call for special attention in terms of health infrastructure. Cumulatively, Punjab faces a total shortage of 953 health units to meet the minimum level of health standards, out of which 694 are sub-centers, 196 PHCs, and 63 CHCs on rural premises. The best-performing districts are Tarn Taran, Moga, Fatehgarh Sahib, Muktsar, and SBS Nagar in terms of primary medical facilities.