A gender disparity plays an important role to determine the health needs of the people in any society.

The difference between genders is more intensely felt in India where women are considered to be less important to men and denote inferior status in every aspect of life, health included. At any given time, the health needs of men and women are different where women with their biologically and culturally assigned roles have more health care needs than men. Because, they bear the burden of reproduction and are expected to be subservient to the male members of the household and work for the latters happiness and satisfaction. Women play important in providing informal health care to all the members of the family and make healthy society. (Kumar and Devi, 2010). It is therefore of the utmost priority of the state to address the health related problems of women. Health related problems of women are many. Child birth related maternal mortality is very high in less developed and poor countries which compel the policy makers to prepare the plans and programmes to check maternal mortality in the country.

Kumar, N A and Devi, D R (2010): Health of Women in Kerala: Current Status and Emerging Issues, Working Paper No.-23, Centre for Socio-economic & Environmental Studies, Kochi