What is the definition of public …

Public Health Services

The public health service is a chain of health centres and hospitals run by the government. They are linked together so that they cover both rural and urban areas.

1. At the village level, there are health centres where there is a nurse and a village health worker. They are trained in dealing with common illnesses and work under the supervision of doctors at the Primary Health Centre (PHC). Such a centre covers many villages in a rural area.
2. At the district level, there is a District Hospital that supervises all the health centres.
3. Large cities have many government hospitals and also specialised government hospitals.

The health service is called ‘public’ for many reasons as mentioned below:

1. The government has established hospitals and health centres for everyone.
2. The medical facilities are provided at a low cost so that the poor can also seek treatment.