The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : PHC network will be declared ‘24 X 7’ from month-end

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Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

PHC network will be declared ‘24 X 7’ from month-end

Shastry V. Mallady

MADURAI: The Primary Health Centre network in the State will be declared ‘24 X 7’ from this month-end making it open/functional round-the-clock.

Orders to this effect will be issued by Health Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam after a review meeting of health officials/Deputy Directors in Chennai on August 21 and 22, official sources told The Hindu here on Tuesday.

The Health Secretary, V. K. Subburaj, who was here on Sunday to participate in a gynaecologists’ meeting, also indicated that all PHCs in the State would become 24-hour care centres soon.

Among the total 1,421 PHCs in the State, round-the-clock functioning has already been introduced in 1000 in phases.

The remaining 421 will be included in the list now.

“A formal declaration of full time health care is coming up at the review meeting and it will be a step forward in public health,” a senior official in Chennai said when contacted.

If a PHC is open round-the-clock, it means there will be three staff nurses on duty and they will call for doctors after providing first aid.

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