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Stream/Area:
-
Subject:
-
Paper ID:
IJSREM67223
Volume:
10 |
9 |
Sep 2026
Pages:
1-5
Publication Frequency:
Monthly (12 issues per year)
License:International Journal of Scientific Research in Engineering and Management follows the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) License, allowing free use and distribution with proper attribution.
Department of Economics
Govt.Arts,commerce&P G collage(AUTOMOUS) HASSAN-573201
Public healthcare plays a vital role in promoting equitable access to quality healthcare services and improving health outcomes, particularly among economically disadvantaged populations. Karnataka has implemented several public health initiatives, including the National Health Mission (NHM), Ayushman Bharat–Arogya Karnataka, maternal and child healthcare programmes, immunization campaigns, and strengthened primary healthcare institutions to enhance healthcare accessibility and affordability. However, inequalities in healthcare access, service quality, infrastructure availability, and financial protection continue to affect poor households, especially in rural and backward regions. This study examines the impact of public healthcare services on poor households in Karnataka using an empirical framework based on secondary data from sources such as the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), National Sample Survey (NSS), Health Management Information System (HMIS), National Health Accounts (NHA), and Government of Karnataka reports. The study analyses healthcare utilization, affordability, maternal and child health outcomes, preventive healthcare coverage, and out-of-pocket expenditure. The findings reveal that public healthcare interventions have improved institutional deliveries, antenatal care utilization, immunization coverage, and access to essential health services among vulnerable groups. However, challenges such as infrastructure gaps, shortage of healthcare professionals, regional disparities, and high medical expenses remain significant concerns. The study recommends strengthening primary healthcare, increasing public investment, improving workforce capacity, expanding digital health services, and enhancing governance to achieve Universal Health Coverage in Karnataka.
KEYWORDS
Public healthcare services constitute an essential instrument for improving health equity and reducing poverty in Karnataka. Evidence from published research and government reports indicates that sustained public investment has expanded access to healthcare, improved maternal and child health outcomes, increased utilization of institutional healthcare, and strengthened financial protection through publicly funded insurance schemes. Despite these achievements, important challenges remain. Persistent regional disparities, shortages of healthcare professionals, infrastructure deficiencies, and continued out-of-pocket expenditure limit the effectiveness of the public healthcare system for economically vulnerable households. Addressing these issues requires greater public investment, improved governance, strengthened primary healthcare, expansion of financial protection, and more equitable distribution of healthcare resources. Future empirical research should utilize recent datasets such as NFHS-5, NSS, HMIS, and district-level health statistics to quantify the impact of public healthcare programmes on health outcomes and financial protection among poor households. Such evidence will support more effective policy design and contribute to achieving Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals in Karnataka.
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Publication Date
9/12/2026
Peer Review Type
Double-Blind Peer Review
Review Rounds: 2
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The authors declare no conflict of interest related to this research work.
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