Tripura’s Institutional Deliveries and Healthcare Advancements Discussed at Winter School on Health Economics

Agartala, Feb 22, 2025, By Our Correspondent

The state of Tripura has seen a significant rise in institutional deliveries, yet achieving a hundred percent success rate remains a challenge. Dr. Swapan Saha, CEO of Tripura Medical College, stressed the urgent need for recruiting designated Medical Officers in all sub-centers to enhance grassroots healthcare accessibility. He also underscored the importance of appointing specialist doctors to further strengthen the state's healthcare infrastructure. While the infant mortality rate has improved, its complete eradication continues to pose challenges.Dr. Saha shared these insights during the closing ceremony of the Winter School on Health Economics, organized by the Department of Economics at Tripura University. The event highlighted the increasing significance of health economics, a subject incorporated into the Economics Department’s curriculum since 2011.The closing ceremony, held on February 21 at the conference hall of the Exam Section building, included a felicitation ceremony attended by eminent dignitaries. Among them were Professor Subhrabaran Das, Head of the Economics Department; Debasish Pal, Finance Officer of Tripura University; and Professor Salim Shah, all of whom contributed their expertise to the discussions.The Winter School featured insightful sessions by esteemed scholars on various aspects of health economics. Professor Udaya Shankar Mishra elaborated on health measurement methodologies, while Professor Subhrabaran Das discussed household healthcare demand estimation. Professor Salim Shah explored qualitative methods, and Professor Subrata Mukherjee demonstrated the applications of machine learning in health economics research.Dr. Monalisha Chakraborty guided participants on utilizing NFHS and IHDS data, and Professor Joydeep Baruah spoke on health, poverty, and research publication strategies. Additionally, Professor Sushil Kumar Haldar explained methods for measuring health inequality and introduced spatial econometrics in health research. Dr. Pradyut Guha from Sikkim University addressed project management and financing in health economics, while Dr. William Joe from the Institute of Economic Growth, New Delhi, provided insights into healthcare service monitoring and evaluation.The Winter School concluded with a valedictory session, marking the end of an intellectually enriching experience. The event served as a crucial platform for scholars to engage in discussions on healthcare challenges and propose policy solutions aimed at improving Tripura’s healthcare system.