The Hindu 05.11.2009
8 urban PHCs likely to come up
Special Correspondent
VELLORE: Urban Primary Health Centres (PHCs) on the pattern of rural PHCs are likely to come up in four municipalities in Vellore district. They include Arakkonam, Walajapet, Ranipet and Arcot in Vellore Health Unit District. Four more are likely to come up at Gudiyatham, Ambur, Vaniyambadi and Tirupattur in Tirupattur Health Unit District.
This is based on the decision of the State government to set up urban PHCs in municipalities having a population of less than one lakh.
Urban Health Posts (UHPs) are functioning in municipalities having a population of more than one lakh.
According to an official of the Health Department, the UHPs were sanctioned for major municipalities under India Population Project-5.
Thanks to these UHPs, health infrastructure of major municipalities (having a population of more than one lakh) was good, whereas it was poor in municipalities having a population of less than one lakh.
Therefore, the government decided to set up urban PHCs in all municipalities having a population of less than one lakh in Tamil Nadu.
Announcement
An announcement was made by Health Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam in the Assembly.
K.S.T. Suresh, Deputy Director of Health Services (DDHS), Vellore, told The Hindu that the office of the DDHS has submitted a proposal for setting up urban PHCs in Arakkonam, Walajapet, Ranipet and Arcot. These urban PHCs, to be set up under the funds provided through the National Rural Health Mission, would follow the same staff pattern as the rural PHC - a medical officer, a staff nurse, a pharmacist, an auxiliary nursing midwife, a laboratory technician, a hospital worker and three contractual nurses.
Premkumar, DDHS, Tirupattur, said that while no proposal has been sent by his office, urban PHCs are expected to be set up in Tirupattur, Ambur, Vaniyambadi and Gudiyatham municipalities, based on the government’s norm for urban PHCs.
The official government order is awaited for the establishment, he said.
