Independent Panel Will Audit Public Health System

Why the committee was set up

- Rupsa Chakraborty

MUMBAI: To strengthen Maharashtra's public healthcare system, the state government has set up an independent Health Services Evaluation Committee to audit services across all districts. The decision was announced through a government resolution (GR) issued on April 29 by the department of public health.

The expert-led panel will comprise professionals from public health, epidemiology, social sciences and health systems management, tasked with conducting an independent, evidence-based assessment of Maharashtra's healthcare infrastructure. Free from administrative influence, it will assess gaps in infrastructure, staffing, medicine supply and programme delivery in rural sub-centres, primary health centres (PHCs), district hospitals, and urban facilities. Officials say its evidence-based findings will replace anecdotal complaints and serve as the foundation for future health policy. The committee will engage stakeholders across 36 districts and major municipal bodies.

"This committee will help us move beyond anecdotal complaints and provide a structured, evidence-based understanding of our public health system. It's not about fault-finding—it's about knowing where we stand and how to improve," said a senior officer from Directorate of Health Service.