Despite rapid advances in modern medicine and state-of-the-art health care services in the private sector, primary health care in India remains inaccessible to a majority of the population. Besides, even policymakers often do not have access to real-time data to fine-tune their policies or design appropriate research and intervention programmes. Drawing on field experiences, this volume brings together scholars and practitioners to examine public health from different perspectives. It discusses practical and applied issues related to the health sector, especially the role of Information and Communications Technology (ICT); participation of civil society; service delivery; quality evaluation; consumer empowerment; data management; and research and intervention. This book will be useful to scholars, students and practitioners of public health in developing countries such as India. It will also interest policymakers, health care professionals, and departments of public health management and those concerned with community medicine.

This book brings together empirical evidences and theoretical perspectives to provide a comprehensive overview of the microfinance sector in India. The essays in the volume: focus on the application of information and communication technology (ICT) solutions in microfinance institutions to strengthen the savings movement and widen credit access to the poor and marginalized sections of society; present case studies on self-help group (SHG) movements, federations and SHG-Bank Linkage programmes; propose measures for strengthening regulatory and governance structures of the microfinance sector; and identify linkages between overall financial inclusion and the contribution of microfinance institutions (MFIs). The volume will be indispensable for scholars and researchers of microeconomics, South Asian economics and development economics as well as professionals and aspirants in the microfinance, rural banking and financial inclusion sectors.

Despite rapid advances in modern medicine and state-of-the-art health care services in the private sector, primary health care in India remains inaccessible to a majority of the population. Besides, even policymakers often do not have access to real-time data to fine-tune their policies or design appropriate research and intervention programmes. Drawing on field experiences, this volume brings together scholars and practitioners to examine public health from different perspectives. It discusses practical and applied issues related to the health sector, especially the role of Information and Communications Technology (ICT); participation of civil society; service delivery; quality evaluation; consumer empowerment; data management; and research and intervention. This book will be useful to scholars, students and practitioners of public health in developing countries such as India. It will also interest policymakers, health care professionals, and departments of public health management and those concerned with community medicine.