Primary Healthcare Services in India

Focus on providing essential healthcare to all individuals, particularly in rural and underserved areas
Services include:
- Outpatient care
- Inpatient care
- Maternal and child health services
- Immunization
- Family planning
- Treatment of common illnesses
Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and Sub-Centers (SCs) are the backbone of primary healthcare services in India
- PHCs: provide comprehensive healthcare services, including specialist services
- SCs: provide basic healthcare services, including maternal and child health services

Aim to improve healthcare access and outcomes in rural areas
Initiatives include:
- National Rural Health Mission (NRHM): launched in 2005 to improve healthcare infrastructure and services in rural areas
- Ayushman Bharat: a flagship program launched in 2018 to provide comprehensive healthcare coverage to vulnerable populations
- Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY): a conditional cash transfer scheme to promote institutional deliveries
- Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK): a program to provide comprehensive healthcare services to children
Focus on strengthening healthcare infrastructure, improving healthcare workforce, and increasing access to healthcare services

Study of the distribution and determinants of health-related events in populations
Importance in India:
- High burden of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS
- Growing burden of non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer
- Need for epidemiological research to inform healthcare policy and programs
Surveillance systems:
- Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP)
- National Vector Borne Disease Control Program (NVBDCP)
- National AIDS Control Program (NACP)

Trained health workers who provide basic healthcare services in communities
Types of community health workers in India:
- Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs)
- Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs)
- Anganwadi Workers (AWWs)
Roles and responsibilities:
- Provide healthcare education and awareness
- Conduct health surveys and surveillance
- Provide basic healthcare services, such as immunization and treatment of common illnesses
- Refer patients to higher-level healthcare facilities

National Health Policy (NHP) 2017:
- Aims to increase healthcare spending to 2.5% of GDP
- Focuses on improving healthcare infrastructure, healthcare workforce, and access to healthcare services
- Emphasizes preventive and promotive healthcare, and universal health coverage
Other key policies and initiatives:
- National Health Mission (NHM)
- Ayushman Bharat
- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY)
- National Digital Health Mission (NDHM)

Primary healthcare focuses on providing essential healthcare to all individuals, particularly in rural and underserved areas
Services include outpatient care, inpatient care, maternal and child health services, immunization, family planning, and treatment of common illnesses
Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and Sub-Centers (SCs) are the backbone of primary healthcare services in India
PHCs provide comprehensive healthcare services, including specialist services
SCs provide basic healthcare services, including maternal and child health services

Rural health initiatives aim to improve healthcare access and outcomes in rural areas
National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) was launched in 2005 to improve healthcare infrastructure and services in rural areas
Ayushman Bharat is a flagship program launched in 2018 to provide comprehensive healthcare coverage to vulnerable populations
Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a conditional cash transfer scheme to promote institutional deliveries
Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) is a program to provide comprehensive healthcare services to children
These initiatives focus on strengthening healthcare infrastructure, improving healthcare workforce, and increasing access to healthcare services

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related events in populations
India has a high burden of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS
India is also experiencing a growing burden of non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer
Epidemiological research is necessary to inform healthcare policy and programs
Surveillance systems in India include Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP), National Vector Borne Disease Control Program (NVBDCP), and National AIDS Control Program (NACP)

Community health workers are trained health workers who provide basic healthcare services in communities
Types of community health workers in India include Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), and Anganwadi Workers (AWWs)
Community health workers provide healthcare education and awareness, conduct health surveys and surveillance, provide basic healthcare services, and refer patients to higher-level healthcare facilities

National Health Policy (NHP) 2017 aims to increase healthcare spending to 2.5% of GDP
NHP 2017 focuses on improving healthcare infrastructure, healthcare workforce, and access to healthcare services
NHP 2017 emphasizes preventive and promotive healthcare, and universal health coverage
Other key policies and initiatives include National Health Mission (NHM), Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), and National Digital Health Mission (NDHM)