The Hindu : Front Page : Special funds for Primary Health Centres

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 20, 2007
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Special funds for Primary Health Centres

Shastry V. Mallady

It is a sort of
image makeover
for the centres

HEALTHY MOVE: The new look Primary Health Centre at Kulamangalam in Madurai district.

MADURAI: A television set, Digital Versatile Disc, tiled walls, spruced up premises, invertors to ensure uninterrupted power supply and a separate bank account in its name.

These are among the features of the new look Primary Health Centres across the State that have received special funds through Patient Welfare Societies created as per the National Rural Health Mission requirements.

It is a sort of image makeover for the government health centres that are normally known for broken chairs, ugly walls, foul smell and money constraints.

“Now, we have Rs.50, 000 in our bank account which can be used for carrying out any repair or development of the PHC. We are working in a completely new environment,” said R.S. Shanmuga Raja, Medical Officer at the Kulamangalam PHC in Madurai district.

Every PHC was allotted nearly Rs.1.25 lakh for the uplift and the money utilised for the initial clean up. The second instalment of money too was released recently. The members of the society take decisions based on the requirements.

According to A. Palanichamy, Deputy Director of Health Services, the development of Primary Health Centres was creating good public awareness and better utilisation of the health machinery. During 2007-08, every PHC will get nearly Rs.2.25 lakh to be used for maintenance and upgrading the centre as stipulated in the rules.

Power cut in villages is also taken note of and hence, inverters are provided connecting them to ‘delivery room.’ The DVD player will be used to show government’s health awareness programmes while the television will be on during the OP hours.

With a passbook in hand and a bank account with good cash balance, it is becoming altogether a different story for the PHC staff.

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