Efficiency in Healthcare Sector in Assam: A Sub-State Level Analysis

Abstract

This paper aims at exploring efficiency in health care sector at sub-state level using district level information for the years 2010-11 and 2011-12. We estimate a potential level of efficiency that could be achieved by a district health system. A panel data set is used comprising of 23 districts of Assam. Utilizing a stochastic frontier model our results indicate that better availability of medical manpower including doctors, nurses and midwives has led to an optimum utilization of existing medical institutions and beds. Thus based on achievement of their existing normative potential, districts like Dhemji, Kamrup and Barpeta are three top ranking districts. The low performing districts based on this criteria, including Darrang, Dhubri and Kokrajhar have been not able to utilize existing medical institutions and beds capacity due to the constraint of inadequate medical manpower, higher population density, higher rural populations, lower literacy levels and lack of comparable roads development relative to efficient districts in the state. Thus the overall efficiency in the district level health system could be improved to bring down infant mortality in lower performing district with more focus of policy on the factors that have been highlighted by our study.

Keywords

• Healthcare sector
• Rural areas
• Sub-state level analysis