Priorities for India’s National Health Policy

In this paper we will argue that India’s health policy needs to focus more on delivering those aspects of healthcare which are public or quasi-public goods to correct this balance, and to regulate and thus facilitate market provision of those aspects that provide private benefits. Keeping in mind that our governments have largely failed at performing even the healthcare they set out to provide in the past8 , we also make a case for focussing on governance and management reform in the delivery systems for healthcare, and suggest a possible mechanism for that reform. For those aspects of healthcare that provide private benefits – secondary and tertiary healthcare – we recommend that the government focus on providing a different public good – balanced and responsive regulation.