This chapter evaluates some aspects of the contemporary public health scenario in India. First, with increasing life expectancy the epidemiological transition points towards greater incidence of non-communicable or lifestyle diseases. This goes hand in hand with a continuing serious problem of communicable and preventable diseases. Second, there is a lot of variation in the public provisioning of health care - a state subject. Poor states are hard pressed for funds. Third, India is an exception across countries in that nearly four-fifths of its health care expenditure is out-ofpocket. Coupled with the burgeoning growth of unregulated private sector care-givers, this has serious implications. These three issues open up a number of policy questions on access to, utilisation and quality of health care. However, the most important among them is the one, which will specifically address the concerns of the poor and the sick.