The government has decided to improve the infrastructure at all primary health centres (PHC) in a phased manner with a view to converting them into family health care centres, Health Minister K.K. Shylaja has said.
The Minister was inaugurating a project to make the PHC at Othera in Thiruvalla taluk the first family health care centre in the district at a function at the CSI Eco Spirituality Centre at Othera on Thursday.
She said shortage of doctors at the PHCs had already been addressed and an additional doctor each would be posted at all PHCs as part of the ongoing mission to convert them into family health care centres.
Doctor-patient ties
All the residents in a grama panchayat should be registered at the PHC concerned and the doctors there should also develop better ties with all families. The grama panchayat should also appoint a nurse at the PHC in its jurisdiction, she said.
Vector-control drive
The Minister said the local self-government institutions (LSGI) in the State should work in tandem with the Health Department to ensure effective fever-control initiatives. The LSGIs, in consultation with the Health Department, should prepare an action plan for drainage cleaning and vector control.
She said creating 3,309 new posts in the Health Department was an achievement of the government. Veena George, MLA, presided. Annapoornadevi, district panchayat president; K. Ananthagopan, Kerala Shops and other Commercial Establishment Workers’ Welfare Board chairman; and Sophia Banu, District Medical Officer, spoke. The Health Minister also inaugurated the work on the proposed geriatric ward at the Taluk Hospital at Konni on Thursday.
Addressing a function held on the Taluk Hospital premises, Ms. Shylaja said the government had decided to make the out-patient units at all Taluk Hospitals patient-friendly as part of the Aardram project.
Operation theatre
She said steps would be taken to set up a modern operation theatre and dental unit at the Konni Taluk Hospital this year itself.
Inaugurating the work on the in-patient block of the PHC at Naranammoozhy later, the Minister said the government had decided to ensure in-patient facility at all community health centres in the State.
She said the Naranammoozhy PHC would also be included in the Aardram project. Raju Abraham, MLA, presided.
