Healthcare Infrastructure

This paper examines the growth and regional spread of medical education in India, particularly in the private sector. An important feature of the considerable growth of medical education, especially after the 1990s, has been the setting up of numerous private medical colleges in the country. Interestingly, this growth has occurred primarily in the more developed states with better health outcomes, while the low-income states with poor health indicators have lagged behind. This unequal distribution of medical colleges has had an impact on the availability of medical services and has resulted in regional differences in access to doctors in the country.

The Kerala government's move towards total prohibition has raised serious concerns about its impact on the state exchequer. The strong grip of alcohol on the state's social and cultural bonds has been enabled by a combination of political and economic factors unique to this long-time communist bastion. This article seeks to examine the historical traditions of drinking in Kerala along with contemporary practices.