Impact of Financial Incentives on Mortality and Health Services Utilization: Evidence from India’s National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)

Abhinash Dash, Joint Director (Evaluation) at DMEO  used three rounds of individual and household level microdata published by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Annual Health Survey (AHS) from the Registrar General of India (Ministry of Home Affairs)  to assess impacts of NHRM on child mortality and health services utilization. Results suggest that financial incentives for institutional delivery reduce infant, neonatal and one-day mortality. There is also some evidence of increased take-up of health facility services.