Kerala has a long history of organised healthcare. The easy accessibility and coverage of medical care facilities has played a dominant role in shaping the health status of Kerala. Health has been a major area of spending in the budget for many years in Kerala.

The annual growth rate of Government healthcare expenditure has shown a steady increase. India's first ever Human Development Report published in 2002, placed the Southern state of Kerala above all the other states in India, because of easy accessibility and coverage of medical care facilities.

Kerala is the one state where the private health sector, including both indigenous and Western systems of medicine, has played a crucial role. The Ayurvedic system of treatment practised in Kerala dates back to centuries.

High levels of education, especially among women, and greater health consciousness have played a key role in the attainment of good health standards in Kerala.Today, with the expansion of private hospitals offering quality services matching international standards,and with the tie-in of the healthcare industry with the tourism sector,healthcare in Kerala is growing by leaps and bounds.