An inter-district analysis of health infrastructure disparities in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir

Abstract

Achieving socioeconomic growth can be done by enhancing national health. The availability and provision of health infrastructure in an administrative territory affect the health of ordinary people. People's access to healthcare is inversely correlated with the availability of a region's health infrastructure. This study investigates inter-district health infrastructure disparities in the newly created Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir. Using principal component analysis, this study developed a district-level health infrastructure index (HII) for 2018–2019. The study demonstrates the existence of inter-district disparities in the Union Territory's health infrastructure. Regarding health infrastructure, Doda has the highest HII and has been designated a 'developed' district. Doda is followed by Jammu, Kishtwar, Udhampur, Ramban, Samba, Reasi and Kulgam, which also fall into the ‘developed’ districts category. Backward districts include Kathua, Rajouri, Poonch, Budgam, Shopian, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Bandipora, and Anantnag. Srinagar district, with the lowest HII, was identified as the most backward district in the Jammu and Kashmir UT. All of the districts of the Kashmir division, apart from Kulgam, are classified as being ‘backward’ or ‘very backward’. Therefore, it is evident that the Jammu division of UT has a better health infrastructure than the Kashmir division.