THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major move to revamp the entire primary health care sector in the state, a gigantic exercise to sensitise and equip panchayat presidents for reshaping primary health centres into family health centres in their respective areas began here on Monday. As part of the project presidents of panchayats in whose area 170 primary health centres are located, were given day long awareness classes. The entire exercise is being carried out under Universal Health Care movement 'Aardram Mission', to address the issues concerning primary health sector. The second lot of panchayat presidents will attend the workshop tomorrow.
"Today only 100 of 1000 people seeking primary health care depend on government sector. Among patients, 350 of 1000 depend on private doctors. This situation needs to be reversed by making PHCs people friendly," said health minister K.K. Shailaja. "They are a highly motivated group and quite excited about improving PHCs. We heard their ideas and suggestions," said additional chief secretary (health) Rajeev Sadanandan.
The project aims at building peoples public health movement focussing on primary health centres. As part of the programme assistant surgeons attached to PHCs will be donning new role of family health doctors. At the meeting, panchayat president panchayat were briefed about scaling up facilities at the PHCs by introducing evening Out Patient Wings which are now functioning form9 am to 2 pm. After 2 pm most people have to depend on private hospitals, tertiary or speciality care hospitals.
The idea is to ensure that people get quality treatment in their neighbourhood. Instead of going to speciality care centres for ailments which could be treated at the local level, the people will be able to avail the services of family medicine doctors at the PHCs and CHCs. The focus will also be on controlling infectious diseases and life style diseases. Such a system is meant by Family Health Care System. The family medicine concept, it is in favour of having three plus doctors in each PHC along with auxiliary staff.
