Recognizing the importance of Health in the process of economic and social development and improving the quality of life of our citizens, the Government of India has resolved to launch the National Rural Health Mission, now National Health Mission, which incorporates both, National Rural Health Mission and the National Urban Health Mission, to carry out necessary architectural correction in the basic health care delivery system. The Mission adopts a synergistic approach by relating health to determinants of good health viz. segments of nutrition, sanitation, hygiene and safe drinking water. It also aims at mainstreaming the Indian systems of medicine to facilitate health care. The Plan of Action includes increasing public expenditure on health, reducing regional imbalance in health infrastructure, pooling resources, integration of organizational structures, optimization of health manpower, decentralization and district management of health programmes, community participation and ownership of assets, induction of management and financial personnel into district health system, and operationalizing community health centres into functional hospitals meeting Indian Public Health Standards in each Block of the Country.

The Goal of the Mission is to improve the availability of and access to quality health care by people, especially for those residing in rural areas, the urban slums, the poor, women and children.