While people living in urban areas often have access to multi-specialty medical units having the latest medical equipment, those residing in rural regions mostly rely on basic levels of healthcare services. As such, primary health centres comprise a very important portion of the entire rural healthcare network, and are mostly manned by trained paramedics. This model is also suited for the rural population, a large part of which lives below the poverty line and cannot afford access to costlier, more specialised means of treatment. Healthcare centres and services in India are almost totally managed by the government or the public sector, with the private sector having a negligible presence. However, the present network of healthcare centres and services faces a number of problems. In India, healthcare staff show a general reluctance towards working in rural areas. Another important issue is that since healthcare centres are integrated with the government’s family planning initiatives, there is a negative perception about them among the rural population, given the general preference for having large families. Hide this