Introduction India, with its vast population of over 1.4 billion people, is one of the…
MCQs with answers on “India’s Public Health System: Reforms and Way Forward”
1. Which of the following is a major objective of the National Health Policy 2017 of India?
a) Achieving universal health coverage
b) Privatizing healthcare services
c) Reducing the role of government in health
d) Minimizing investment in public health systems
Answer: a) Achieving universal health coverage
2. What is the primary focus of Ayushman Bharat Yojana?
a) Providing free education
b) Promoting traditional medicine
c) Offering health insurance for vulnerable populations
d) Building health infrastructure in urban areas
Answer: c) Offering health insurance for vulnerable populations
3. Which ministry is responsible for the implementation of the National Health Mission (NHM) in India?
a) Ministry of Rural Development
b) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
c) Ministry of Finance
d) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Answer: b) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
4. The concept of ‘Health and Wellness Centres’ (HWCs) is part of which national scheme?
a) National Health Mission
b) National Rural Health Mission
c) Ayushman Bharat
d) Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana
Answer: c) Ayushman Bharat
5. What is the target for India’s health spending as a percentage of GDP by 2025, according to the National Health Policy 2017?
a) 1.5%
b) 3%
c) 5%
d) 2%
Answer: b) 3%
6. The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) aims to:
a) Improve the quality of medical education
b) Provide free medical education
c) Establish health insurance schemes
d) Build new hospitals in rural areas
Answer: a) Improve the quality of medical education
7. Which of the following is a major challenge to India’s public health system?
a) Excessive healthcare workforce
b) Inadequate funding
c) Low demand for healthcare services
d) Over-reliance on technology
Answer: b) Inadequate funding
8. The ‘Health for All’ campaign in India focuses primarily on:
a) Universal access to basic healthcare services
b) Privatization of healthcare services
c) Increasing healthcare taxes
d) Global health partnerships
Answer: a) Universal access to basic healthcare services
9. The National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) aims to provide health insurance to how many families in India?
a) 40 million
b) 100 million
c) 50 million
d) 80 million
Answer: b) 100 million
10. Which of the following is an example of a non-communicable disease (NCD) that the Indian government has been focusing on in recent years?
a) Malaria
b) Tuberculosis
c) Diabetes
d) Dengue
Answer: c) Diabetes
11. What is the role of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) in India?
a) Setting standards for healthcare facilities
b) Regulating the pricing of essential medicines
c) Developing new vaccines
d) Providing health insurance coverage
Answer: b) Regulating the pricing of essential medicines
12. Which initiative was launched in 2018 to eliminate tuberculosis in India by 2025?
a) National TB Elimination Program
b) India TB Free Mission
c) TB Free India Campaign
d) Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program
Answer: a) National TB Elimination Program
13. Which of the following organizations is responsible for the accreditation of medical education institutions in India?
a) Indian Medical Association
b) Medical Council of India (MCI)
c) Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
d) National Medical Commission (NMC)
Answer: d) National Medical Commission (NMC)
14. The National Health Mission (NHM) primarily focuses on:
a) Infectious diseases
b) Strengthening health systems in rural areas
c) Urban health management
d) Establishing private hospitals
Answer: b) Strengthening health systems in rural areas
15. What is the primary goal of the National Mental Health Program (NMHP) in India?
a) Providing free treatment for mental illness
b) Ensuring access to mental health services in rural areas
c) Establishing mental health education programs in schools
d) Promoting awareness on non-communicable diseases
Answer: b) Ensuring access to mental health services in rural areas
16. Which of the following is a major health risk associated with India’s high levels of air pollution?
a) Asthma and respiratory disorders
b) Malaria and dengue fever
c) Cholera outbreaks
d) Hypertension and cardiovascular diseases
Answer: a) Asthma and respiratory disorders
17. The Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) was designed to provide health insurance primarily to which section of society?
a) Middle-income families
b) Informal sector workers and their families
c) Corporate sector employees
d) Elderly citizens
Answer: b) Informal sector workers and their families
18. The National Health Policy 2017 emphasizes which of the following in its approach?
a) Emphasis on preventive and primary healthcare
b) Focus on expensive tertiary care
c) Introduction of health taxes
d) Discontinuation of government-run hospitals
Answer: a) Emphasis on preventive and primary healthcare
19. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) is primarily focused on providing which of the following?
a) Basic healthcare services
b) Health insurance coverage for low-income groups
c) Health awareness campaigns
d) Medical infrastructure in cities
Answer: b) Health insurance coverage for low-income groups
20. Which of the following health concerns is addressed by the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan?
a) Malaria
b) Sanitation and hygiene
c) Cancer prevention
d) Child nutrition
Answer: b) Sanitation and hygiene
21. What is the main aim of the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM)?
a) Reducing air pollution in urban areas
b) Improving urban sanitation
c) Strengthening healthcare services in urban slums
d) Increasing the number of healthcare workers in cities
Answer: c) Strengthening healthcare services in urban slums
22. Which international body does India work with for the prevention and control of communicable diseases?
a) WHO (World Health Organization)
b) WTO (World Trade Organization)
c) UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)
d) UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund)
Answer: a) WHO (World Health Organization)
23. What was a key objective of the Indian government’s launch of the “National Digital Health Mission” (NDHM)?
a) To digitize healthcare records
b) To promote traditional medicine
c) To provide free online consultations
d) To reduce healthcare workers’ workload
Answer: a) To digitize healthcare records
24. The concept of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in India aims to:
a) Provide affordable healthcare services to all citizens
b) Focus only on private sector healthcare
c) Limit healthcare to government-run hospitals
d) Reduce the healthcare workforce in rural areas
Answer: a) Provide affordable healthcare services to all citizens
25. The government’s focus on ‘National Immunization Day’ is to:
a) Prevent the spread of seasonal diseases
b) Immunize children against preventable diseases
c) Provide free medical treatment for the elderly
d) Launch new health insurance policies
Answer: b) Immunize children against preventable diseases
26. Which government program has been launched to address the shortage of medical professionals in rural areas?
a) National Health Mission
b) National Rural Health Mission
c) Rural Medical Education Program
d) Doctors for Rural India Initiative
Answer: b) National Rural Health Mission
27. The ‘Ayushman Bharat’ scheme focuses on:
a) Providing cash transfers to low-income families
b) Building new medical colleges in cities
c) Offering health insurance to the economically vulnerable
d) Supporting healthcare entrepreneurs
Answer: c) Offering health insurance to the economically vulnerable
28. India’s National Health Policy 2017 targets the reduction of the infant mortality rate to how many per 1000 live births by 2030?
a) 25
b) 30
c) 20
d) 35
Answer: a) 25
29. The Health Ministry’s ‘Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana’ aims to provide:
a) Free healthcare services in rural areas
b) Affordable medicines through dedicated outlets
c) Health insurance to farmers
d) Free healthcare facilities for the elderly
Answer: b) Affordable medicines through dedicated outlets
30. In the context of India’s healthcare system, which of the following is a major reform under consideration?
a) Full privatization of healthcare
b) Introduction of a universal health insurance scheme
c) Total decentralization of healthcare services
d) Reduction in government funding for health
Answer: b) Introduction of a universal health insurance scheme
These MCQs and answers provide a comprehensive overview of India’s public health reforms and future challenges.
