<div>The Primary Health Centre at Mandikallu, the largest hobli in the district, does not have sufficient staff. The PHC is the only health centre in the surrounding 70 villages. As many as 16,000 people are receiving the benefits of this health centre. The PHC is the first stage to deliver health service to common people. According to the National Rural Health Mission guidelines, each PHC should have at least 17 personnel, including a woman doctor, senior women’s health activist, men and women health assistant, laboratory staffers, drivers, account managers and Group D staffers. It has only one doctor, a nurse and two field persons. <br /><br />The number of staffers is very negligible when compared to the number of people it serves. The PHC has only six beds and at least 70 people visit it every day seeking one or the other service. The beds are unoccupied as people do not visit the centre as it lacks both staffers and facilities. Also, the doctor does not reside in the hobli headquarters.<br /><br />Hence, the locals face difficulties to get treatment in case of emergency. According to the PHC staffers, they can stay in the hobli headquarters if quarters are provided to them. The people complain that the PHC does not provide proper health services. The staffers should be available at the PHC four hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon from Monday to Saturday for the treatment of patients. <br /><br />Also, emergency services should be available for dog or snake bites 24/7. But no such services are available here, they said. The centre also lacks maternity service and no national health programme is being implemented here, the locals complained. They said mostly poor and farmers, who cannot afford private healthcare service, come to the PHC. <br /><br />But they do not get proper health services here. The officials concerned should take a note of it and take necessary steps to solve the probles here, they said. A D Avalappa, Taluk Panchayat former president and a resident of Mandikallu, said, “Industrialist M Ramaiah has built a maternity hospital on the PHC premises in memory of his grandmother. But it is not being maintained properly. The villagers have to go to Chikkaballapur or Gudibande hospitals for delivery.”<br /><br />Gangadhar, a resident of Mandikallu, said, “There is only one doctor for this big hobli. The PHC does not have an ambulance or any facility to treat emergency problems.” Chandramma of Gundlamandikallu said, “The doctor is rarely available in the hospital. The nurses prescribes drugs. The hospital should be upgraded.”<br /><br />When contacted, District Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr Ravishankar said the PHC has staff shortage. The government has started the recruitment of staff. The problem will be solved in one month, he said. <br /></div>
<div>The Primary Health Centre at Mandikallu, the largest hobli in the district, does not have sufficient staff. The PHC is the only health centre in the surrounding 70 villages. As many as 16,000 people are receiving the benefits of this health centre. The PHC is the first stage to deliver health service to common people. According to the National Rural Health Mission guidelines, each PHC should have at least 17 personnel, including a woman doctor, senior women’s health activist, men and women health assistant, laboratory staffers, drivers, account managers and Group D staffers. It has only one doctor, a nurse and two field persons. <br /><br />The number of staffers is very negligible when compared to the number of people it serves. The PHC has only six beds and at least 70 people visit it every day seeking one or the other service. The beds are unoccupied as people do not visit the centre as it lacks both staffers and facilities. Also, the doctor does not reside in the hobli headquarters.<br /><br />Hence, the locals face difficulties to get treatment in case of emergency. According to the PHC staffers, they can stay in the hobli headquarters if quarters are provided to them. The people complain that the PHC does not provide proper health services. The staffers should be available at the PHC four hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon from Monday to Saturday for the treatment of patients. <br /><br />Also, emergency services should be available for dog or snake bites 24/7. But no such services are available here, they said. The centre also lacks maternity service and no national health programme is being implemented here, the locals complained. They said mostly poor and farmers, who cannot afford private healthcare service, come to the PHC. <br /><br />But they do not get proper health services here. The officials concerned should take a note of it and take necessary steps to solve the probles here, they said. A D Avalappa, Taluk Panchayat former president and a resident of Mandikallu, said, “Industrialist M Ramaiah has built a maternity hospital on the PHC premises in memory of his grandmother. But it is not being maintained properly. The villagers have to go to Chikkaballapur or Gudibande hospitals for delivery.”<br /><br />Gangadhar, a resident of Mandikallu, said, “There is only one doctor for this big hobli. The PHC does not have an ambulance or any facility to treat emergency problems.” Chandramma of Gundlamandikallu said, “The doctor is rarely available in the hospital. The nurses prescribes drugs. The hospital should be upgraded.”<br /><br />When contacted, District Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr Ravishankar said the PHC has staff shortage. The government has started the recruitment of staff. The problem will be solved in one month, he said. <br /></div>
