Oommen C. Kurian

New Delhi

Senior Fellow at Observer Research Foundation

senior fellow, health initiative, @orfonline. student of health policy. patient. optimist. marathon, not sprint. #HealthForAll #SDGs #UHC.

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Articles

From Frying Pan to Fuel Tank: Used Cooking Oil and Food Safety

3 weeks ago | or-f.org | Oommen C. Kurian

Image Source: Getty Used cooking oil (UCO) continues to remain a blind spot for Indian food safety and environmental laws, even though it is a scientifically well-documented risk. It is well-established that the repeated use of cooking oil, along with the misuse and unsafe disposal of UCO, pose significant environmental and health risks.
From Frying Pan to Fuel Tank: Used Cooking Oil and Food Safety

3 weeks ago | orfonline.org | Oommen C. Kurian

Image Source: Getty Used cooking oil (UCO) continues to remain a blind spot for Indian food safety and environmental laws, even though it is a scientifically well-documented risk. It is well-established that the repeated use of cooking oil, along with the misuse and unsafe disposal of UCO, pose significant environmental and health risks.
Role of BRICS leadership in forging climate and health strategies

2 months ago | hindustantimes.com | Oommen C. Kurian |Debosmita Sarkar |Shoba Suri

The BRICS+ bloc, accounting for over 40% of the world’s population and a substantial share of its forest area, can play a critical role in shaping responses to climate-related health threats. The grouping’s leadership in harmonising policies across the domains of climate action and healthcare can have profound implications for global strategies to manage pandemics and protect planetary health.
Breaking Anaemia’s Grip: A Mandatory Step Towards Viksit Bharat

2 months ago | or-f.org | Oommen C. Kurian

As India sets its sights on becoming a global leader and a transformative force on the world stage, it must address the growing prevalence of anaemiaImage Source: Getty This essay is part of the series: World Health Day 2025: Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful FuturesDespite the relatively low levels of spending on health, India has made significant strides in key health indicators over the past three decades.
Breaking Anaemia’s Grip: A Mandatory Step Towards Viksit Bharat

2 months ago | orfonline.org | Oommen C. Kurian

As India sets its sights on becoming a global leader and a transformative force on the world stage, it must address the growing prevalence of anaemiaImage Source: Getty This essay is part of the series: World Health Day 2025: Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful FuturesDespite the relatively low levels of spending on health, India has made significant strides in key health indicators over the past three decades.
Jan Aushadhi’s rapid expansion: A sub-national analysis

Mar 8, 2025 | or-f.org | Oommen C. Kurian

Image Source: Getty Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), popularly known as ‘Jan Aushadhi,’ is a scheme that has seen rapid progress under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) governments over the past decade. Every year, 7 March is celebrated as “Jan Aushadhi Diwas,” aiming to enhance public awareness and confidence about generic medicines.
Jan Aushadhi’s rapid expansion: A sub-national analysis

Mar 8, 2025 | orfonline.org | Oommen C. Kurian

Jan Aushadhi Kendras have expanded rapidly, covering all Indian districts by 2025. This analysis explores their growth, impact, and regional disparities. Image Source: Getty Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), popularly known as ‘Jan Aushadhi,’ is a scheme that has seen rapid progress under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) governments over the past decade.
Breath by breath: The fight against pneumonia’s toll

Nov 11, 2024 | orfonline.org | Oommen C. Kurian |Nimisha Chadha

World Pneumonia Day highlights the urgent need to protect vulnerable lives from pneumonia's devastating tollImage Source: Getty The persistent Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, which was first identified by more than a century ago by microbiologists Louis Pasteur and George Sternberg, has become one of humankind's greatest foes. Each year, pneumonia remains among the leading causes of death worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where healthcare access is limited.
National Health Accounts: Public spending finally overtakes out-of-pocket spending

Sep 30, 2024 | or-f.org | Oommen C. Kurian

The current momentum in government funding within the health sector needs to be maintained if India has to get near the national goal of public sector spending on healthImage Source: Getty Research studies over the last decade have shown that out-of-pocket expenditures (OOPE) in health push 3 percent to 7 percent of Indian households below the poverty line every year, with rural and poorer states facing a higher impact.
National Health Accounts: Public spending finally overtakes out-of-pocket spending

Sep 30, 2024 | orfonline.org | Oommen C. Kurian

Image Source: Getty Research studies over the last decade have shown that out-of-pocket expenditures (OOPE) in health push 3 percent to 7 percent of Indian households below the poverty line every year, with rural and poorer states facing a higher impact. Disadvantaged groups bear a greater financial burden from OOPE in health, and therefore, it has lately been a high-focus area of health policy in India.