Using GIS to Identify Opportunities for Improved Health in Urban Slums: The Applied Case of Midnapore, India (Global Perspectives on Health Geography)

This book offers geospatial modelling techniques for the analysis of healthcare in poor urban neighborhoods and of the ways that residents of these neighborhoods make healthcare choices and cope with deprivation. The authors use the case of Midnapore, India to explore the overall health infrastructure and the perceptions of residents of urban slums regarding the provision, utilization, and accessibility of the healthcare system through the application of geostatistics and geospatial techniques and modelling, with an eye towards reducing inequalities.

The study described here can be used as a model for researchers, planners, NGOs, policymakers and government authorities to conduct similar analysis of other low-income urban neighborhoods. Also, this book may assist students in understanding the basic tools and techniques of applying GIS tools to study social problems.

Dr. Bikash Dutta is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography, Nistarini College, Purulia with a specialization in Practical Geography, Remote Sensing & GIS. He holds an Ph.D. at Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal and M.Phil. from Fakir Mohan University, Odisha with a strong academic background, including UGC NET and SET qualifications (2012 & 2013). His research primarily focuses on urban geography, poverty, coping mechanisms, and health resilience among the urban poor. He has contributed significantly to the field of geospatial analysis and socio-economic studies, real-world challenges, particularly in urban planning and social development.

Manas Das is an MTech student of Geomatics Engineering in the Department of Mining Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad, Jharkhand, India. He obtained an M.Sc. in Remote Sensing and GIS at Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, specializing in Digital Image Processing (DIP), including a GATE qualification in 2024. His research areas primarily focus on Spatial analysis, Slope stability modeling, and Groundwater sustainability.

Sutapa Rath holds a Master's in Geography and an M.Phil. in Women's Studies from Vidyasagar University. Her research explores social and cultural assimilation, focusing on spatial accessibility, social vulnerability, and gender studies. Her work provides valuable insights into urban marginalization and healthcare accessibility.

Sutapa Das is a researcher with a Master’s and M.Phil in Economics from Vidyasagar University. Her work focuses on social equality, rural development, agricultural change, and trade analysis. She has contributed research on healthcare accessibility, social vulnerability, and quality of life in slum neighborhoods. Her studies address economic and social disparities, particularly in developing regions.