Working
Paper: 350
Caste and Care: Is Indian Healthcare Delivery
System Favourable for Dalits?
Sobin George
Abstract
The paper examines whether the
dalit castes are adequately represented in the health service system in
rural India in the context of the already established caste based
discrimination in service delivery. Drawing from official data, the paper
shows an overall domination of non-dalits in healthcare services. The paper
presents two scenarios to understand it further. Fist is the similarities in
health disparities between SCs and non-SC/STs of Bihar and Tamil Nadu, which
have huge presence of non SC/STs in significant positions of healthcare
delivery. Second is the case of Andhra Pradesh (undivided), which has less
intergroup disparities and better distribution of health personnel from
dalit castes at all levels of health services. These cases confirm the
persistence of unfavourable environments for dalits with the domination of
non-dalits in health services.
Working Papers