By M.B. Pavan Murthy

Mysore/Mysuru: At a time when health has become priority for one and all, Primary Health Centres (PHCs) are silently serving the community without publicity. These health units, spread across the city and district, are doing yeomen service by addressing health issues of common people free of cost.  

Over 25 programmes under National Health Mission are being implemented for the benefit of people through the PHCs. As many as 21 PHCs are working within the city limits of which five of them are engaged in containing Covid-19. Each PHC has to look after the health of 50,000 population. A junior health assistant is appointed for every 10,000 population. The duty of health volunteers is to visit houses daily to collect details of pregnant women, lactating mothers and children below five years of age.

Each PHC has to take care of pregnant women in their jurisdiction by taking them to the nearby scanning centres to watch growth of the foetus. At least a dozen varieties of tests are conducted on a pregnant woman regularly. Even after the delivery, health of woman and newborn is regularly monitored by junior health assistants and vaccinations administered to infants till five years of age.

The Covid-19 test is conducted in all PHCs including those ones on the Chamundi Hill Main Road and Bannimantap (Hanumanthanagar) on all days except Thursday and Sunday between 10 am and 1 pm. Rapid Antigen Test is conducted on suspected cases. 

As part of Covid duty, nurses visit Containment Zones not only to create awareness among people but also conduct mandatory test of BP, sugar, cancer, stroke and communicable diseases on senior citizens. Each PHC has four to six beds where treatment is given. For additional treatment, patients are shifted to nearby hospitals through the 108 ambulance. Every PHC has doctors, lab technician, staff nurse, junior female health assistant, junior male health assistant. Barring the doctors, staff nurse and lab technician, the rest must work on the field and upload details on RCH portal.

The State Government has honoured the Bannimantap City PHC, Mysuru, for offering best service to people during Covid situation. In 2018-19, this PHC had bagged the first runner-up award in Mysuru district level. Dr. H.L. Lokesh, Health Officer of the PHC, has taken a lot of interest in conducting Covid-19 test and addressing the health issues of community. Though a number of Asha workers attached to this PHC reported Corona positive, they still continued to carry on with their duty after recovery. As a precaution, medical services are being offered to the needy outside the PHC due to Covid-19 threat.

Talking to SOM, Dr. Lokesh said, nearly 50 per cent of the staff is on Corona duty. But still the mandatory works such as survey and regular healthcare are attended. While the Urban PHC on Chamaraja Double Road had won the maiden ‘Kayakalpa’ district-level award  in 2018-19, the third prize had gone to Chamundi Hill Road PHC.

Despite pressure due to Covid-19, still our PHC is offering all free services to people. Though this is an additional burden on our staff we are managing it,” says Dr. T. R. Naveen, Health Officer, Chamundi Hill Main Road PHC