Rural India consists of approximately 638,000 villages inhabited by 740 million individuals. Rural healthcare in India faces a crisis unmatched by any other sector of the economy. For example, Rural Medical Practitioners (RMPs), who provide 80% of outpatient care, have no formal qualifications for it. They sometimes lack even a high school diploma.

While the Government has launched the National Rural Health Mission under with an intent to spend 3 -5% of GDP to meet the health care needs of rural people, A network of government-owned and operated sub-centers, primary health centers (PHCs) and community health centers (CHCs) are designed to deliver for this purpose.

Sub-centre is the first contact point between the community and the primary health care system. It employs one male and one female health worker, with the latter being an Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM). It is responsible for tasks relating to maternal and child health, nutrition, immunization, diarrhea control and communicable diseases.

Current norms require one sub-centre per 5,000 persons, one PHC per 30,000 people and one CHC per 120,000 people in the plains. Smaller populations qualify for each of these centers in the tribal and hilly areas. Each PHC serves as a referral unit to six sub-centers and each CHC to four PHCs. A PHC has four to six beds and performs curative, preventive services.

Each CHC has four specialists one each of physician, surgeon, gynaecologist and paediatrician supported by 21 paramedical and other staff members. It has 30 indoor beds, one operation theatre, X-ray and lab rooms and laboratory facilities. It provides emergency obstetrics care and specialist consultation.