BHANDARA

Health

Last updated on 26 July 2025. Help us improve the information on this page by clicking on suggest edits or writing to us.

Bhandara’s healthcare landscape, like many other regions across India, is shaped by a mix of indigenous and Western medical practices. For centuries, indigenous knowledge and treatments provided by practitioners such as hakims and vaidyas have formed the foundation of healthcare in the region. This long standing relationship between communities and their natural environment played a key role in shaping the district’s early medical traditions. Over time, its landscape has gradually evolved with the introduction and expansion of more specialized medical services.

Healthcare Infrastructure

Bhandara’s healthcare system follows the standard multi-tiered model seen across much of India, encompassing both public and private sectors. The public system is organized into three levels: primary care is delivered through Sub Centres and Primary Health Centres (PHCs); secondary care is handled by Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Sub-District Hospitals and tertiary care is provided by District Hospitals and Medical Colleges.

This structure is supported by a network of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), who, as defined by the National Health Mission, function as the “interface between the community and the public health system.” The system continues to evolve through policy reforms aimed at expanding access and improving the quality of universal healthcare delivery.

The origins of this infrastructure in Bhandara can be traced to the colonial period. British administrative policies introduced basic public health services, and missionary initiatives too contributed to the establishment of early medical facilities. It is noted in the district Gazetteer (1979) that in 1889, a mission hospital was established by the United Free Church Mission which was equipped with wards, operating rooms, and residential quarters. In 1905, additional land was acquired for sanitary improvements and open-air treatment areas. Institutions such as the General Hospital were also later established which became key sites for treating serious medical cases in the district.

Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, Bhandara witnessed a gradual expansion in both public and private healthcare services, with the establishment of many new facilities being driven by trusts, NGOs, and locals themselves.

Clinics in Bhandara. Source: OpenStreetMaps (Sept. 2025)

Hospitals in Bhandara. Source: OpenStreetMaps (Sept. 2025)

Age-Old Practices & Remedies

Historically, before the advent of western health care systems or the three-tiered healthcare infrastructure that exists today, people in the district relied and made use of indigenous knowledge and medicine for their well being. When it comes to healthcare, India, for long has been characterized by a pluralistic health tradition.

Perhaps one of the significant yet frequently overlooked aspects of healthcare traditions includes the role of age-old practices and home-based remedies. In India, as many say, indigenous knowledge and household remedies have for long formed the basis of many family healthcare practices. These local remedies and healing methods have persisted through time through intergenerational transmission. Certain communities in Bhandara are particularly associated with herbal medicine. Among them, the Gond community is known for its use of medicinal plants in treating common ailments. Knowledge of these remedies has been preserved within families, where it continues to be shared informally.

People in the region also used a variety of plant-based preparations to treat illnesses such as diarrhea, kidney stones, and skin conditions. For example, locals say the roots of Arandi (henna) were ground and mixed with neem and ginger leaves to help with digestive problems. Kamar modicha pala (coat buttons) was made into a paste for similar use. The pulp of Bela (bael) fruit was eaten directly to relieve stomach discomfort, while leaf extract from Palas (flame of the forest) was applied to treat diarrhea and skin issues. The bark of the Jambhul (black plum) tree was used in home remedies for kidney stones.

To manage the effects of the extreme summer heat in the Vidarbha region, people also relied on simple household methods. Applying lime to the navel or rubbing grated onion on the soles of the feet and palms were common practices believed to help cool the body.

Graphs

Healthcare Facilities and Services

Morbidity and Mortality

Maternal and Newborn Health

Family Planning

Immunization

Nutrition

Sources

M Choksi, B. Patil et al. 2016. Health systems in India. Vol 36 (Suppl 3). Journal of Perinatology.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC514…

Maharashtra State Gazetteers. 1979. Bhandara District. Directorate of Government Printing, Stationery & Publications, Government of Maharashtra, Mumbai.

National Health Mission (NHM). "About Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA)." National Health Mission, India.https://nhm.gov.in/index1.php?lang=1&level=1…