Public Health Organizations and Medical Facilities in Lucknow District (India) during British Rule

Abstract

Public health usually refers to organized efforts made under the direction of medical experts for preventing disease and improving people’s health. Decades before public health moved public opinion, socio-medical activities had called for strong sanitary measures, even a sanitary despotism. When the British came to India, indigenous people were having a number of diseases, which were difficult to prevent with the limited resources at that time. In order to improve the general health of the people, the District Medical Scheme was introduced in Lucknow, in the year 1927. British government made an additional staffs and sanitary commissioners for the better care of the native people. They have introduced various public health organisations, hospitals, dispensaries, some indigenous hospitals including Ayurvedic and Unani, medical facilities and schemes within their rule in the various parts of the Lucknow districts of United Provinces.