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.