24x7 services in PHCs to bring a sea of change in rural areas

The 24X7 services were started in September 2008 and out of 63 PHCs in the district, 23 have been made 24X7.

Informing about the progress of 24x7 services, National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) District Project Management Officer Dr Prakash told the reporters who visited Shirthadi and Surathkal 24x7 PHC that the number of delivery cases being handled in the centres have shot up drastically with starting of 24x7 service.

Each of the 24x7 centres have to have blood testing facilities, drug facilities, delivery room, running water, hot water facility, emergency obstetrics care, one doctor and three staff nurse.

He said that these programme was initiated in the Primary Health Centres (PHCs) under National Rural Health Mission with the aim of reducing Infant Mortality Rate as well as Maternal Mortality Rate.

“During 2008-09, as many as 625 delivery cases were handled in the 23 24x7 Primary Health Centres in the district. Today Ujire Primary Health Centres is handling an average of 40 cases per month. Koila, Bellare, Surathkal PHCs are also handing an average of 10 to 12 cases per month,” he said opining that the inclination of people coming to Primary Health Centres for delivery has been improving.

He said that the IMR has reduced to 14 per thousand while the MMR is 104 per lakh deliveries.

He said that Government had declared that those Primary Health Centreswhich have 40 and above delivery cases handled on an average per month will be provided with one more doctor. Hence, this year Ujire is all set to get one more post sanctioned for doctor.
Dr Prakash informed that each of these PHCs receive funds of Rs 1.75 lakh and Arogya Raksha Committee presided over by local GP president is formed for efficient management of the Primary Health Centre.


Allowance doubled

All those medicos and staff nurses who have opted to render services in most remote areas, here is a good news.

With the aim of recognising their services and to make more and more people to take up rural service, Government will double the remote area allowance. The remote area allowance of doctors and staff nurses working in most remote areas is Rs 5,000 and Rs 3,000 respectively. In more remote areas, it is Rs 3,000 and Rs 1,500. During 2010-11, these allowances will be doubled.

There are five most remote areas in the district namely Kaniyur, Hathyadka, Neria, Kollamogaru and Nellikaru. Kalladka Balthila, Peruvayi, Kolthige, Shiradi, Daivasthala and Kumpadau are the more remote places.

No Anaesthesiologist

Dr Prakash said that though Government pays a sum of Rs 1,000 per case for anaesthesiologist, they are not ready to come to the Primary Health Centres specifically in remote areas to render their service. Citing example of a Primary Health Centre in Bantwal Dr Prakash said that though they have visited most of the private hospitals and medical colleges urging the Anaesthesiologist to come in and render service, they are not willing to come.