Health Financing, Privatization and Equity in Haryana’s Healthcare System

Over the last twenty years, healthcare delivery in Haryana has undergone notable change as a result of health-financing reforms and the expanding role of private providers. Increased government spending, the introduction of publicly funded insurance schemes and reliance on private healthcare institutions have collectively improved the availability of services for large sections of the population. For households covered under insurance programmes, dependence on direct out-of-pocket payments has declined, while access to institutional care has improved. These shifts are reflected in better health infrastructure, a rise in institutional deliveries and gradual improvement in indicators such as infant and maternal mortality. However, these gains have not been uniform. Persistent disparities remain due to unequal spatial distribution of facilities, shortages of healthcare personnel in public institutions, administrative challenges in insurance execution and limited oversight of private providers. The experience of Haryana demonstrates that although publicly financed privatization can widen access to healthcare, achieving equity requires continuous public investment, stronger regulatory mechanisms and focused attention on underserved areas.