Public Healthcare: Expenditure in PHCs and CHCs in Maharashtra

The Patients Welfare Committee (PWC) is better known in the Indian Public Healthcare System as Rogi Kalyan Samiti. It is amechanism to improve the functional autonomy of public hospitals. In a democratic system, PWC empowers people to be part of decision making and planning of public health institution. Public expenditure is spending made by the government of acountry on collective needs and wants. In a democracy, public e e is an expression of people's will, managed through political parties and institutions. In this case study, pro-people ee is defined as expenses made for the people. That includes basic facilities such as toilet, drinking water, food for patient, referral transport, cleanliness and hygiene of the health facility. These expenses are vital for improved services in the health facilities and their utilization. This case analyzes financialmanagement and the pattern of expenditure of the patient welfare fund in 22 health facilities for the financial year 2013–14, along with 6 health facilities in past three years in Maharashtra.