Common Health Problems in India:

India is a vast country.
It has highly diverse geographical and climatic conditions.
- Its population is distributed in broadly five types of habitations:
  - Big cities. These have multi-storeyed buildings, too many vehicles, and heavily burdened water supply and sewage systems, and some with lots of industries, either inside the township or outside.
  - Small towns. Not so crowded.
  - Villages. Small population, agriculture based; dairies, poultry farming, cottage industries, etc. are the main sources of livelihood.
  - Remote areas. Tribal people, mostly thriving on forests and forest products; neither proper drinking water nor any medical facility is available.
  - Slums and Jhuggi-Jhompris are a common sight at all places specially on the outskirts of big cities.
    - Unhealthy, unhygienic conditions prevail in them.
      - The health problems differ in each kind of habitation. However, we may generalise them as follows :-
    - Food and water borne diseases.
      - Several diseases specially diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, typhoid, dysentery, are very common in areas deficient in proper water supply.
        In many places, water from hand-pumps and other sources is contaminated.
      - At certain places, harmful mineral contents in water obtained through wells or hand-pumps cause health problems.
Untreated sewage or effluents from industries poured into riven and other water bodies harm the people living alongside.
- Insect and air-borne diseases.
  - The public in general, and specially the uneducated village folk, are not conscious of the flies which alight on exposed food stuff and contaminate them.
    - Lack of general cleanliness leads to breeding of houseflies, mosquitoes, and other insects which cause diseases.

Red Cross:

The Red Cross is a national as well as an international agency.
- The main function of the Red Cross Society is to perform activities which should prevent or remove human suffering in peace time as well as at the time of war.
  - It was formally founded in peace time as well as at the time of war. It was formally founded in 1864.
    - The emblem of the Red Cross Society is a red-colored cross painted on a white background.
    - People belonging to the Red Cross can go to battlefields and take care of the wounded soldiers whether friends or enemies.
      - Major activities of Red Cross 5ocieties are as follows:
        To extend relief and help to the victims of any calamity — flood, fire, famine, earthquakes, etc.
        To procure and supply blood for the needy victims of war or other calamities.
        To extend all possible first-aid in any accident.
        To educate people in accident prevention.
        To arrange for ambulance service in all emergencies.
        To look after maternal and child welfare centers.
        The Indian Red Cross Society has also been engaged in training midwives.

World Health Organization:

The World Health Organization (WHO) established in 1948, is a specialized agency of the United Nations Organization (UNO).
- Member countries of the UNO focused on the need for creating an international body to look after the health problems of people of the world.
  - This was particularly felt in the field of research on the causes and cures of diseases.
  - The combined efforts in this direction were to give better and faster results.
    - The poor and developing countries were to benefit.
      - WHO has six regional offices in the world including one in Delhi.
    - Each regional office works for its member countries.
      - Its headquarters are located in Geneva.
Member states of WHO are bound by the International Sanitary Regulations to send in all relevant information about Internationally notifiable diseases.
- Malaria and smallpox are two notifiable diseases.

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Common Health Problems in India:

India is a vast country.
It has highly diverse geographical and climatic conditions.
- Its population is distributed in broadly five types of habitations:
  - Big cities. These have multi-storeyed buildings, too many vehicles, and heavily burdened water supply and sewage systems, and some with lots of industries, either inside the township or outside.
  - Small towns. Not so crowded.
  - Villages. Small population, agriculture based; dairies, poultry farming, cottage industries, etc. are the main sources of livelihood.
  - Remote areas. Tribal people, mostly thriving on forests and forest products; neither proper drinking water nor any medical facility is available.
  - Slums and Jhuggi-Jhompris are a common sight at all places specially on the outskirts of big cities.
    - Unhealthy, unhygienic conditions prevail in them.
      - The health problems differ in each kind of habitation. However, we may generalise them as follows :-
    - Food and water borne diseases.
      - Several diseases specially diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, typhoid, dysentery, are very common in areas deficient in proper water supply.
        In many places, water from hand-pumps and other sources is contaminated.
      - At certain places, harmful mineral contents in water obtained through wells or hand-pumps cause health problems.
Untreated sewage or effluents from industries poured into riven and other water bodies harm the people living alongside.
- Insect and air-borne diseases.
  - The public in general, and specially the uneducated village folk, are not conscious of the flies which alight on exposed food stuff and contaminate them.
    - Lack of general cleanliness leads to breeding of houseflies, mosquitoes, and other insects which cause diseases.

Red Cross:

The Red Cross is a national as well as an international agency.
- The main function of the Red Cross Society is to perform activities which should prevent or remove human suffering in peace time as well as at the time of war.
  - It was formally founded in peace time as well as at the time of war. It was formally founded in 1864.
    - The emblem of the Red Cross Society is a red-colored cross painted on a white background.
    - People belonging to the Red Cross can go to battlefields and take care of the wounded soldiers whether friends or enemies.
      - Major activities of Red Cross 5ocieties are as follows:
        To extend relief and help to the victims of any calamity — flood, fire, famine, earthquakes, etc.
        To procure and supply blood for the needy victims of war or other calamities.
        To extend all possible first-aid in any accident.
        To educate people in accident prevention.
        To arrange for ambulance service in all emergencies.
        To look after maternal and child welfare centers.
        The Indian Red Cross Society has also been engaged in training midwives.

World Health Organization:

The World Health Organization (WHO) established in 1948, is a specialized agency of the United Nations Organization (UNO).
- Member countries of the UNO focused on the need for creating an international body to look after the health problems of people of the world.
  - This was particularly felt in the field of research on the causes and cures of diseases.
  - The combined efforts in this direction were to give better and faster results.
    - The poor and developing countries were to benefit.
      - WHO has six regional offices in the world including one in Delhi.
    - Each regional office works for its member countries.
      - Its headquarters are located in Geneva.
Member states of WHO are bound by the International Sanitary Regulations to send in all relevant information about Internationally notifiable diseases.
- Malaria and smallpox are two notifiable diseases.