The three-tier system of health infrastructure in India includes health care at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.

1. Primary health care includes education concerning prevailing health problems and methods of identifying, preventing and controlling them; promotion of food supply and proper nutrition and adequate supply of water and basic sanitation; maternal and child care; immunisation against major contagious diseases, promotion of mental health and provision of essential drugs.

It includes setting up of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCS) in villages and small towns.

2. Secondary health care includes hospitals which have better health care facilities such as, surgery and diagnostics. They are mostly found in district headquarters and in big towns.
3. Tertiary sector includes all those medical centres and hospitals which give advanced medical care and solve complicated health problems, which cannot be managed by the primary sector. It also includes many premier institutes which not only impart quality medical education and conduct research but also provide specialised medical care.