Primary Health Centres shed ‘always sick’ tag, turn reliable for the neglected in Bengaluru

Once synonymous with absent doctors, old buildings and medicine shortages, primary health centres (PHCs) and urban primary health centres (UPHCs) in Bengaluru are slowly emerging as formidable sentinels of public healthcare. 

Though there is a shortage of vaccines related to dog bites, a reality check at about 10 PHCs and UPHCs by DH recently found that basic amenities in place at these centres.

Each of the centres was found to be adequately staffed with about 10 to 15 personnel, including a doctor, staff nurses, ASHA workers, health inspectors, pharmacists, lab technicians and cleaners.

Electricity and water connections were in place and most of the centres were found to have wheelchair ramps.

Shortage of vaccines

But, personnel at several centres said shortage of vaccines administered for dog bites was acute.

A medical officer at Bangarappa Nagara PHC said, “We have been seeing three-four dog bite cases every week in the past few months. But we do not have a supply of vaccines. So, we are sending patients back”.

“A rabies vaccine costs about Rs 450 per dose and depending on the bite, victims should be given five to eight doses. Patients coming to us cannot afford to go to private hospitals,” she said. 

A medical officer at Lingarajapuram UPHC told DH, “We do receive more dog bite cases, and we provide vaccines. If there’s a shortage of any major medicine, we contact nearby PHCs and pool it from wherever it is available.”

Health and Family Welfare Services commissioner K B Sivakumar told DH that the shortage of dog bite vaccines was only in PHCs coming under Greater Bengaluru Authority and not under his department. 

Drug procurement

Medical officers upload requirements of medicines through an online portal and the department sends all needed drugs by the fifth of every month. 

However, when there is a shortage or immediate necessity of drugs, medical officers procure them from outside or other PHCs. 

A few staffers at PHCs complained that they had not received the money they had spent on medicines and the transportation charges.

To this, Sivakumar said the money paid for the outsourced medicines would be reimbursed without fail and there could be a problem only if they had made mistakes while uploading receipts. 

“Recently, across the state, we cleared bills of about Rs 20 crore towards drug procurements,” he added.

Several medical officers said tuberculosis (TB) accounted for a significant number of cases they see.

A medical officer at Yarabnagar, Banashankari, said, “Especially in this area, houses are not only small, but built chock-a-block. Therefore, TB spreads fast. We are equipped with necessary medicines to treat TB cases and the government provides Rs 700 per patient as nutritious meal allowance”.

Doctors are trained to guide women about unwanted pregnancies. Doctors prescribe tablets for women who choose for abortion before nine weeks of pregnancy in case of complications.

“We educate women about the use of contraceptives to protect their health,” said a staff member.

While many people expressed satisfaction about the overall upkeep of health centres, they said long waiting hours and facilities closing at 4 pm were a concern.

“We cannot afford private healthcare and we come here,” said a patient at Jeevanahalli PHC.

Haseena Bhanu, another patient at Yarabnagar PHC, said, “For pregnant women, it is harder to wait for long hours. More staff should be deputed here”.