The Health Sector continues to attract huge financial and policy emphasis from the World Bank and yet the sector continues to experience rising pitfalls. "Despite progress made in improving health care delivery, India still has very high levels of maternal and child mortality." The fact that 136,000 women and 2.4 million children - about a fifth of the world's total - "die every year in India mostly as a result of preventable causes," is a reflection of the dire situation (S Rajagopalan, Washington, August 24, 2006).

Over the years, the Bank has continued to recommend that the Government of India increase its budgetary plan for the health sector while being aware of - and to a large extent being responsible for - the financial pressure felt by Governments.

The wisdom of the Bank still continues to favour:

• An increased role of the private sector in service delivery.
• Emphasis on the removal of subsidies leading to unaffordable food prices and the loss of jobs for small artisans and weavers.
• Emphasis on medical initiatives which lead to dependence on the drug industry and favour corporate interests. This approach is favoured over a comprehensive primary health care approach (CPHC).
• Sanctioning and funding - poorly conceptualized health projects.
• Skewed focus of the health reforms "package" advocated by the Bank.
• Lack of transparency, monitoring and auditing (both technical and financial) of bank loans and funds granted to State and Central Government and to NGOs. Frequent allegations that money is being siphoned.