The Mobile Medical Unit (104), led by Dr. S. Ravi, a ‘Family Physician’ of Penamaluru Primary Health Centre, arrived at Yanamalakuduru Village on Wednesday. As the MMU was stationed at a feasible location in the village, locals who were already informed a day in advance about their ‘Family Physician’ visit gathered and consulted the doctor.
People diagnosed with non-communicable and seasonal diseases will be treated and given medicines for up to one month. Their condition will be reviewed in the next visit, 15 days later, by the Family Physician.
Pilot programme a hit
As envisaged by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Family Physician pilot programme has brought free medical service to people’s doorsteps. Nearly eight lakh people in the State took doctor consultations under the Family Physician pilot programme.
The Health, Medical, and Family Welfare Department launched the pilot programme on October 21. A doctor would be available at the Mobile Medical Units, also called the 104 services, at the Dr. Y. S. R. Village Health Clinics (VHC). People of 7,166 villages in the 26 districts were attended to by doctors twice between October 21 and November 28.
Through the programme, the doctors working as Family Physicians or Medical Officers (MOs) at the Primary Health Centers (PHC) would closely monitor the health of the villagers of each Village Secretariat, maintain their health records, conduct periodic health checkups and refer the patients for further treatment if needed.
Two MOs lead each PHC, one conducting field visits for at least 15 days a month while the other would be available at the PHC.
“During the past month, we have covered all the villages under the Dr. YSR Village Health Clinics. About 7,166 villages were visited twice, and 2,866 villages were visited at least once by Family Physicians. During the visits, 7.86 lakh people consulted the FPs and availed of treatment and diagnostic services” M.T. Krishna BabuPrincipal Secretary to Govt. (Health, Medical and Family Welfare)
“During the past month, we have covered all the villages under the Dr. YSR Village Health Clinics. About 7,166 villages were visited twice, and 2,866 villages were visited at least once by Family Physicians. During the visits, 7.86 lakh people consulted the FPs and availed of treatment and diagnostic services,” Principal Secretary to Govt. (Health, Medical and Family Welfare) M.T. Krishna Babu told The Hindu.
Each Family Physician would upload the details of the patients to the ‘Medical Officer’ app and will be referred to when treating the patient in the future, he said.
Mr. Krishna Babu said that there are 676 MMU vehicles at present, and more will be added to the fleet by the end of December. “This will enable the FPs to visit every village at least twice a month. Also, when the programme was launched, only 86% of the doctors visiting the villages were government doctors, and the rest were hired from the 104 Vehicles team. Now, we have ensured that all the visits are made by doctors appointed by the Medical and Health department. The direct visits of the government doctors and the local health workers have instilled confidence among the locals,” he said.
He said FPs are also visiting schools and Anganwadi centres for screening for health conditions such as anaemia. They also provide treatment for bedridden patients and pregnant women who cannot visit hospitals.
Official launch soon
Mr. Krishna Babu said that the Department is ready for the official launch soon.
District Medical and Health Officer Krishna Dr. Geetha Bhai said that the programme’s introduction had improved their reach to the people, particularly in remote areas. Earlier, she told several tail-end areas in the district used to be ignored, and the people there would face hardships to reach the nearest PHC.
Also, the doctors who were appointed as Family Physicians are finding the new role comfortable as they are provided with the necessary ecosystem, including staff such as Community Medical Officers at VHCs and others.
On the other hand, the YSR Village Health Clinics, which are sub-centres to the PHCs, would be available for every 2,000 people, and a total of 10,032 of them would be established soon, which would be integrated with the Village Secretariats. The VHCs will be headed by Community Medical Officer and a staff nurse who provide treatment for minor cases and refer patients to teleconsultation or higher medical centres when needed.
Family Physician services provided as of Nov. 28 since the soft launch on October 21 in Andhra Pradesh
No. of villages under YSR Village Health Clinics visited twice by Family Physicians: 7166
No. of villages under YSR Village Health Clinics visited at least twice by Family Physicians: 2866
No. of people who consulted Family Physicians during field visits: 7,86,226
Category of patients treated during Family Physician visits
General outpatients: 3,32,601
Fever patients: 51,953
Antenatal Care: 51,404
Prenatal Care: 40,723
Anaemia: 5,210
Non-communicable diseases:
Hypertension: 1,78,387
Diabetes: 1,25,948
Cervical Cancer: 1,604
Oral Cancer: 1,469
Tuberculosis: 385
Breast Cancer: 205
