Five Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and a regional public health water analysis laboratory were inaugurated in the district by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa via videoconferencing from Chennai on Friday. The Valadi PHC at Lalgudi panchayat union, Karumalai PHC and Kallamedu PHC at Marungapuri panchayat union, Aanambadi PHC at Manapparai panchayat union, and B.Mettur PHC at Uppiliapuram panchayat union, were set up at a cost of Rs.1.90 crore.
About 10 medical officers, 5 pharmacists, 5 lab technicians, 5 maternal assistant nurses, 5 junior assistants, 5 drivers, and 10 multipurpose health workers posts too were created at the PHCs. The regional public health water analysis laboratory set up in the city at cost of Rs.1.21 crore would function as a branch of the laboratory at The Kings Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research, Chennai. The laboratory would cater to the needs of corporations, municipalities, village panchayats, local bodies, and government offices in Tiruchi, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Dindigul, Karur, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam. Samples of water being dispensed to the public would be collected and analysed to check for their quality to prevent the spreading of waterborne diseases such as dysentery and cholera.