| In ancient Rome, sick people turned to | | | | Specializations in specific fields have ensured fast |
| Aesculapius, the Roman god of medicine. Often | | | | and accurate diagnosis and access to approved |
| the sick would stay in the temple precincts | | | | and tested cures for most diseases. |
| overnight in the hope of a miraculous cure. All | | | | Various illnesses and new developments of |
| ancient civilizations had their own equivalent of | | | | diseases ensure that man's creativity is constantly |
| Aesculapius. These temples were probably the | | | | improved by handling each new medical challenge. |
| world's first hospitals and gave solace of some | | | | This dedication to finding cures to every ill is |
| kind to the sick. Gradually separate facilities were | | | | evident by the number of people involved in |
| set up for the specific purpose of looking after | | | | medical research and development all over the |
| the sick and slowly hospitals came into being. The | | | | world. |
| fourth century saw the establishment of a | | | | Different types of hospitals have been set up and |
| hospital by the Christian church. The oldest known | | | | are run both by the state and by the private |
| hospital in the Americas is the Hospital of Jesus of | | | | sector. General hospitals with different |
| Nazareth, Mexico, 1524. | | | | departments handling different specialties have |
| Thanks to the continuous efforts of many | | | | been set up by states. In addition to these, there |
| pioneers in the field of medicine, people all over | | | | are hospitals that deal with specific diseases or |
| the world now have access to excellent medical | | | | specific sections of the populace, such as pediatric |
| facilities. In fact, the wide range of facilities gives | | | | hospitals, maternity hospitals, hospitals that |
| one an option to pick and choose and take the | | | | specialize in cancer care, or orthopedics. |
| one that is most suited to one's particular needs. | | | | |