Introduction to human health

 ::: INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN HEALTH :::

Learning outcomes:

 General historical aspects, Modern Era

 Private Sector, Public Sector, Role of CHG

 Lab Services

 General historical aspects: 

 In India from ancient time the ‘Ayurveda’ and ‘Sidhis’ system are being in practice to 

provide the total health to public. ‘Ayurveda’ by definition implies the ‘Knowledge of Life’ 

or the knowledge by which the life may be prolonged. The way of living a peaceful and 

diseasefree life.Its origin is traced up to the Vedic time about 5000 B.C.Dhanwantari is the 

Hindu God of medicine. The medical knowledge of Atharvaveda gradually developed into 

the science of ‘Ayurveda’. In ancient India, the celebrated authorities in Ayurveda medicines 

were ‘Atreya’, Charak’, ‘Susruta’ and ‘Vagbhatta’. Charak applied his famous treaties on 

medicines in ‘CharakSanhita’. Amongs the many distinguished names Hindu Medicines, the 

Sushruta stands the former called as ‘Father of Indian surgery’. In India, Ayurveda witnessed 

tremendous growth and development during the ‘Budhist times’ King Ashoka (226 B.C.) and 

other Budhist kings patronized Ayurveda as a state medicines and established Schools of 

Medicines and public Hospitals. In medical systems that are truly Indian origin and 

developed are Ayurveda and Sidha systems. Ayurveda is practiced throughout in India. But 

the Sidha system is practiced in Tamil speaking areas of South India. 

 Modern Era: 

 The other ways of medicines like Unani, Tibbis, Homeopathy, traditional healer, 

traditional medical practitioners, are very much alive in India even today. In fact they become 

the part of Indian culture, and they continue to be an important source of medical relief to the 

rural population. Majority part of the health delivery system is given by the modern medicine 

which is also known as ‘Allopathy’. The huge population of India receives the medical aid by 

two agencies.

a) Private b)Public

 They give the promotive, curative and preventive health services to the people. They have 

become an essential part of the health delivery system in India. 

 Private Sector: 

 This comprises of smallest unit the said ‘Ajibai’, who gives some traditional home 

remedies to her family members. All private medical practitioners, hospitals, nursing homes, 

medical institute and diagnostic centers provide health care to the public.

 These all above listed agencies provides all types of Medical-aid curative, preventive and 

promotive to the public.

 Public Sector: 

 The Govt. plays very important role in the health care delivery system. The ultra structure 

of primary health center (PHC) and the staff with sub-centers play an important role in health 

delivery. The PHC’s are connected to the rural and medical college Hospitals. There is awell 

equipped civil hospital at district level, who serves as a referral hospital. Many doctors, 

health workers, ANMs (auxiliary nurse midwife) etc. work as Government employees and 

help to run different National health programs at village and urban level.The PHC works for 

each 35,000 rural population, there is a central village surrounded by clusters of villages. This 

central village acts as PHC center while the remaining villages are connected to this through 

different sub-centers.

 Role of CHV: 

 The smallest unit of this sector is the “Community health volunteer”. He works for all 

types of preliminary health activities, like health education, and preventive health services, 

motivation for family welfare programs, immunizations etc. He gives some medicines to the 

sufferer for temporary relief. For every 1000 population there is one CHV. He receives 

Medicine kit every three months from the PHC.

 Thus the curative, referral and preventive services are given to the public by this sector. 

 Lab Services:

 There are various laboratories in both sectors, those plays an important role in disease 

diagnosis. All investigations are carried out in these laboratories. The basic health lab is 

attached to the PHC. It does few preliminary investigations. There are laboratories at 

different levels starting from towns to metro cities. Apart from these, the private sector also 

provides the lab services to the peoples. They carry out some very important valuable 

investigation and contribute in the health care delivery system to the Indian population. 

 In this way the Indian population receives the medical aid, diagnostic aids, curative aids, 

preventive aids by private and public sectors and thus help in positive health building of 

Indian population.