This edited volume presents various issues and challenges faced by the health sector in India as well as in South Asia. It is a compilation of research papers presented by eminent social scientists in a health system strengthening conference organised by the Institute of Public Enterprise, Hyderabad. The contributors of this publication are senior experts working in the area of health sector and reform issues from India and across South Asia and it provides the readers an insight into the various issues and challenges faced by the health sector, especially problems of accessibility, human resource management, financing, monitoring etc., which have been brought out in the book very succinctly.  This volume will be of immense benefit to researchers, policy makers and students working on issues of health sector.

R.K. Mishra, Senior Professor and Dean is the Director of Institute of Public Enterprise (IPE), Hyderabad. A graduate of International Management Programme, SDA Bocconi, Milan, Italy, he has worked on key assignments with Indian government including Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Ministry of Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises, and Ministry of Finance 
(Department of Disinvestment). His current areas of interest include: corporate finance, corporate governance, international management, management controls, management education, infrastructure development, restructuring, economic reforms, social sector management, good governance and economic environment. 

K.N. Jehangir, currently attached to IPE, Hyderabad, as a senior faculty member, was earlier Director (Research) in Ind-ian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi. Dr Jehangir did his PhD from the University of Calcutta on Muslim women. His major area of research interests are: gender, minorities, elections, health systems in India, etc. 

Geeta Potaraju is currently working as an Assistant Professor at IPE, Hyderabad. She has a PhD in Management with specialisation on public sector enterprises. She has over 15 years of experience in development consulting. Her areas of interests are: participatory governance, health system strengthening, administrative and institutional reforms. 

Sobin George is Assistant Professor at the Centre for Studies of Social Change and Development, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore. He has an MPhil and PhD in public health from Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. His areas of teaching, research and writings cover social gradients of health, marginalities, health behaviour and labour relations.