Guest Edited by Devaki Nambiar (George Institute for Global Health, India), Rakhal Gaitonde (Achutha Menon Centre for Health System Sciences, India), Anish TS (Government Medical College Manjeri, India) and Hari Sankar (George Institute for Global Health, India)
The south Indian state of Kerala has long been considered a global exemplar of providing good health care at low cost to its people. The pursuit of equity, it can be said, has been a refrain in Kerala’s public policy for decades, but with myriad approaches (such as those linking equity to opportunity, while others frame it as an access issue), various intended and unintended effects, and shifts in health and welfare system properties and roles of a range of stakeholders in government, in local leadership and beyond. Drawing from a decade-long engagement in the state and a five-year study on health inequalities, this special issue takes equity as its starting point and seeks to feature perspectives, research, and on-the-ground reflections of those who have been part of this history. We aim to voice, encourage critical reflection on Kerala’s equity journey, and draw out lessons for other states in the Indian union as well as relevant contexts across the globe. This special issue features papers that describe health equity in the state. The papers are supported by the India Alliance grant held by one of the editors.