Mewat, Palwal, Faridabad health index flops: Study

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 22

Scientists at the PGIMER in Chandigarh have developed a health system performance index based on 67 health indicators. They have found that Mewat, Faridabad and Palwal are among the worst performers and Panchkula, Ambala, Fatehabad and Jhajjar among the top performers.

Atul Sharma, Shankar Prinja and Atul Kumar Aggarwal of the department of community medicine and school of public health surveyed 377 health facilities across Haryana. A total of 460 facility in-charges and data handlers were tested for familiarity with the health management information system and its conceptual understanding.

A total of 1,762 health providers were interviewed for motivation and job satisfaction. Client satisfaction interviews from 833 clients utilising services in public health facilities were conducted. In health financing, measuring the extent of public health expenditure, resource pooling and purchase of services, Panchkula is the top performer. Faridabad is the worst, followed by Gurugram.

On human resources index, measuring availability and distribution, capacity and productivity and motivation and job satisfaction, Jhajjar fares the poorest and Panchkula the best.

On facility readiness, measuring readiness of sub-centres, primary health centres, community health centres and district hospitals, Sirsa ranks best. Mewat and Jind are at the bottom.

In service delivery, measuring service availability and service quality, Faridabad is the best performer. Mewat is the worst followed by Jind.

In governance, measuring participation and responsiveness, transparency and fairness, effectiveness and efficiency and accountability, Rohtak is the top performer. Hisar and Sonepat are the worst two.

In health management information system, measuring data management, Kurukshetra is the best performer. Faridabad and Palwal are the worst.