Six family health centres soon

FHCs to have comprehensive electronic health record of every family member

The Government Medical College campus in Thiruvananthapuram is being spruced up as part of the Aardram Mission initiative to give a welcoming look to hospital campuses.

One of the major initiatives under the Aardram Mission, the primary health centres in the district will soon undergo a transformation to become family health centres (FHC), which will be the first point of care for any illness for every family under its jurisdiction.

These FHCs will have a ready reckoner on each of its families and the doctors here will have a comprehensive electronic health record of every family member so that he can provide better and continuous care .

The FHCs are being re-organised in such a way that these are patient-friendly with modern registration and token systems, consultation rooms with ample privacy, comfortable waiting areas, drinking water, proper signages to direct patients and special toilets accessible to the physically challenged.

In the district, 16 selected primary health centres will become FHCs in the first phase.

Of these, six PHCs -- Vamanapuram, Chemmaruthy, Kadakampally, Aruvikkara, Balaramapuram and Pallichal --will be readied as FHCs before August 15.

The PHCs at Kilimanoor, Thonnakkal, Keezhattingal, Vattiyoorkavu, Kottukal, Paraniyam, Poozhanad, Karakulam will become functional as FHCs by September 15 while the Aamachal and Jagathy PHCs will become FHCs by November 15

The FHCs will function from 8 a.m. till 6 p.m.

Family physician

FHCS are being so developed that in future, the concept of family physician can be ushered in.

Every FHC will have a minimum of two doctors, two nurses as well as the services of a lab technician and pharmacist.

All staff members will undergo training in inter-personal communication skills so that the interactions with patients are always cordial and friendly.

Already, 11 doctors, 10 staff nurses and 15 pharmacists have been appointed in various PHCs in the district as part of the preparations to transform these as FHCs.

Apart from maternal and child care services, prevention of infectious diseases and proper control of lifestyle diseases will be the responsibility of FHCs.

Lab facilities will be augmented so that all blood pressure monitoring and basic blood investigations such as blood sugar and lipid profile can be done here.

The services of Accredited social health activists (ASHAs) and the participation of ward-level sanitation committees and local bodies will be ensured in the proper functioning of FHCs.

In Thiruvananthapuram district, the District Medical Officer, Jose Decruz and the district programme manager, National Health Mission, J. Swapnakumari are in charge of the programme.

Apart from the funds from the Health Departments, funds are being mobilised from various quarters as part of the Aardram Mission.