Kerala, a state in southwest India, has achieved high human development despite low income through progressive policies and community participation. The "Kerala model" emphasizes literacy and education, land reform, strong public health system focused on primary care, women's empowerment, and political participation. As a result, Kerala has high literacy, life expectancy, and gender equality and low levels of poverty, child mortality, and population growth compared to other Indian states and nations with higher income levels. However, challenges remain in addressing non-communicable diseases, suicides, and pollution.

1. Rediscovering Kerala
…through my eyes
Nivedita Meethan. MPH Candidate. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

2. Kerala, through scientist mom’s eyes…

3. South-west coast of INDIA

4.  Capital- Thiruvananthapuram
 Formed on 1st November 1956
 Official Language- MALAYALAM, English, Hindi

5. Healthy breakfast – steamed rice cake,
lentils, banana and hot tea latte
Regional and National Newspaper
And ofcourse! A beautiful smile 

6. Backwaters

7. Beach

8. The Queen of Arabian Sea

9. Boat Race

10. Kathakali

11. Mohiniyattom

12. Kalari-payattu

13. Ayurveda

14. Monsoon

15. Housing

16. Traditional feast

17. Spices

18. Hardworking Men

20. Women

21. Rain or Shine – All Kids Go To School
- Irrespective of Sex, Caste,
Religion, SES.

22. Demographics
33.3 million people
2.76% India population
859 persons per Km2
Annual per capita income approx. $350

23.  Can the poorest of a poor country lead decent lives?
 Do they have access to adequate health care?
 Adequate Minimum wage?
 Be the President of Singapore?
 Win an Oscar?

24. Be your classmate classmates?
Yes, yes and yes!

25. Serve Hot tea to Armstrong on 20 July
1969?
Ahem… Maybe!?!

26. This state has proved the
development experts
wrong!

27. Health Indicators Kerala India
Birth rate 14.60 22.80
Death rate 6.60 7.40
Infant mortality rate 12.0 44.00
Maternal mortality ratio 40 301
Total Fertility rate 1.70 2.90
Life expectancy at birth
(Average)
74.00 63.50

28. If Kerala was your home instead of USA
you would…
 Die 2 years sooner
 Make 93% less money
 Spend 99% less money on health care
 Consume 95.4% less oil
 Be 95.2% less likely to be in prison
 Be 50% less likely to have HIV/AIDS
 13.16% less likely to be murdered

29. THE KERALA MODEL OF DEVELOPMENT
 High material quality-of-life indicators with low per capita
income
 Wealth and Resource redistribution Programmes equally
 Political participation and Activism among ordinary people
with dedicated leaders.

30. How did they achieve it?
 100% literacy rate – outreach program 1981 with 20,000 volunteers
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011
Chart Title
Literacy Male Female

32. Egalitarian Politics
 Democracy
 LDF vs UDF - Alternating every five years
 Public Agitations, Strikes, and Stirs common
 No American style Capitalism
 Political awareness starts from kindergarten
 High Minimum wage
 Land Reforms and redistribution of wealth

33. Women Empowerment
 Matriarchal society
 Sex ratio 1.084 (1084 females per 1000 males)
 Literate women
 Average age of marriage 24
 Family planning – 1992 birth rate hit replacement level
 Free birth control and Liberal Medical termination of
Pregnancy
 State supported Nutrition program for pregnant women
and new mothers
 Breast Feeding initiative

34. Health
Our vision is that all people, no matter where they
live, no matter what their age, have a right to
access high quality and affordable healthcare
Emphasis on Primary Prevention.
2700 Government medical institutions
300 beds per 100,000 people

35. Universal Health Coverage
 Health care and financial protection to all citizens
 Sub replacement fertility level
 Lowest Infant Mortality level
 Baby friendly state
 Best place to die if you have serious illness –Palliative care

36. Health Care System
 Sub center- 5,000
 Primary Health Center – 30,000
 Community Health Center – 230,000
 Secondary and Tertiary Health care Centers

37. Primary prevention plays pivotal role
 Communicable diseases
 Immunization camps
 Health education to mother and children
 Training Health workers and Accredited
Social Health Activist
 Geriatric clinics
 Pain and palliative center

38. Problems needed to tackle
 Vector borne diseases- Dengue, Chikungunya, Malaria
 Water-borne diseases- Diarrhoea, Dysentry, Typhoid
 Rising levels of NCD- Diabestes mellitus, CAD
 Suicide
 Indoor Air Pollution – biomass fuel

39.  has staged numerous 'pride parades' in the past decade
 Health card as means of decriminalising MSM population
 In 2016, allocated a part of its budget towards the employment and skill
training programs for transgenders in Kerala
 Kerala in 2016, introduced free Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS) through
government hospitals.

40. Take home message
Universal Health is our birth right.
Together all of us can improve the HDI globally
Miles to go before we sleep