India is an under developed country and 50% of the population live in urban areas in an extremely below the poverty condition. As they are lured by massive industrialization, economic and educational opportunities in cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkatta and Delhi are over crowed and the statistics says about one fifth live in slums Most of the health problems in India are generated from these slums only.

Many are exposed to new types of risks associated with industrial pollution, road accidents, air pollution, poisonings, threat to child adolescent health etc.

Drainage system is poor in Chennai, Kolkatta and Mumbai which cause high incidence of infections disease and epidemics. High densities of dwellings and lack of internal roads cause poor accessibility for emergency and life saving services. New squatter settlements come up on the periphery often on inhabitable lands because of their low values and cause environmental hazards.

In the recent Bhopal gas tragedy, around 3000 persons mostly from the peripheral slums were killed and it clearly revealed the vulnerability of squatters.

Urban malaria, tuberculosis and pneumonia, leprosy, meningitis, preventable infections in children such as measles, whooping cough and polio, diarrhea diseases and intestinal worm infections are some of the most common health problems apart from higher morbidity and mortality due to accidents.

Central council of health was formed as per the constitution to check all health problems in India. Health survey and Development Committee was the first committee to be formed in India which laid foundations for several activities in all five year plans to attend to all health problems attaching the millions in India.

The ministry of health and family welfare is handled by secretary of the govt. of India. He is directed by the cabinet minister of state or by his deputy. The ministry is concerned with 1) maintenance of international health relations with other countries of the world and coordination among them 2) adoption of family welfare measures concerning population stabilization and family planning.

The Directorate General of health services as the technical wing to the ministry of health and family welfare and its activities cover the whole spectrum of medical care and public health apart from general administration. Other activities include establishment of drug standards, prevention of food adulteration, control of drugs and poison, coordination with state of health Authorities, implementation and monitoring of various health programmes and schemes etc.

At the state level we have the Directorate of Health Services to administer public health, medical services and medical education. Due to increasing responsibilities and abundant health problems some states have established more than one Directorate and separated medical care facilities and medical education from the public health. To boost the family welfare activities some states have set up separate Directorate of family welfare or state family welfare Bureau.

At the District level we have the District health office that is in charge of all activities concerning medical, public health and family welfare and district health administration. To lay more importance to family welfare programmes, a separate family welfare officer has been appointed.

In urban areas we have local self governing bodies having three tier administrations.

1. Medical officer in charge
2. Zonal office in charge
3. The chief executive in charge

Health Care Delivery in India

Among the major public health programmes, the Maternal and Child Health Services constitute an integral part of the family welfare programmes and occupy an important place in the socio economic development planning. It also plays a crucial role in human resource development and in improving the quality of life of the people. The Government has sponsored immunization schemes for infants and children against nutritional anemia among mothers and children and prophylaxis against blindness due to vitamin