Efficiency of health care system in India: an inter-state analysis using DEA approach.

Since independence a massive personnel and public health infrastructure has been created in India. However, there is no competition and hardly any choice to the poor patients resulting in poor quality services leading to allocative and technical inefficiencies. This study uses the data envelopment analysis model to assess and compare the efficiency of health system within various states of India. It shows the inadequacy of health infrastructure and manpower in the inefficient states where poor people are concentrated. Among the determinants of efficiency female literacy, poverty level, institutional delivery, and full immunization of children are proved to be important factors in explaining efficiency of health system in India.