Equity in maternal, newborn, and child health care coverage in India.
BACKGROUND
Addressing inequitable coverage of maternal and child health care services among different socioeconomic strata of population and across states is an important part of India's contemporary health program. This has wide implications for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal targets.


OBJECTIVE
This paper assesses the inequity in coverage of maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) care services across household wealth quintiles in India and its states.


DESIGN
Utilizing the District Level Household and Facility Survey conducted during 2007-08, this paper has constructed a Composite Coverage Index (CCI) in MNCH care.


RESULTS
The mean overall coverage of 45% was estimated at the national level, ranging from 31% for the poorest to 60% for the wealthiest quintile. Moreover, a massive state-wise difference across wealth quintiles was observed in the mean overall CCI. Almost half of the Indian states and union territories recorded a ≤50% coverage in MNCH care services, which demands special attention.


CONCLUSION
India needs focused efforts to address the inequity in coverage of health care services by recognising or defining underserved people and pursuing well-planned time-oriented health programs committed to ameliorate the present state of MNCH care.
['Singh|Prashant Kumar|PK|', 'Rai|Rajesh Kumar|RK|', 'Kumar|Chandan|C|']
D002648:Child D002662:Child Health Services D005191:Family Characteristics D005260:Female D054625:Healthcare Disparities D006801:Humans D007194:India D007231:Infant, Newborn D008427:Maternal Health Services D011203:Poverty D011247:Pregnancy D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
maternal India states millennium development goals composite coverage index household economic status newborn and child health