PHCs will be upgraded, strengthened: Sudhakar

Bengaluru: PHCs (Public Health Centres) are the fundamental building blocks of the public healthcare system and our government is taking allout measures to strengthen them, said Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K. Sudhakar.

Speaking at the inauguration of Singasandra Primary Healthcare Centre, set up under the joint initiative of the Health and Family Welfare Department and BOSCH's CSR activity on Wednesday, Sudhakar said PHCs play a vital role in the rural health system and there is a need to strengthen them. Our government is committed to providing better health care at the PHC level. Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa has announced plans to upgrade and modernize 250 PHCs in this budget."

The PHCs at Singasandra and Roopenahalli have been built at a cost of about Rs 2.5 crore by the health and family welfare department and with a contribution of Rs 78 lakh from BOSCH's CSR initiative.

"PHCs are not mere buildings. They must be built at places where there is more inflow of patients and more people reside. Earlier there used to be one doctor at a PHC, but from now onwards there will be both male and female doctors. Corporates are extending their helping hand to the welfare of society. The CSR Act mandates companies to spend at least 2 per cent of their three-year annual net profit towards CSR activities in a financial year. There is a need to discuss the various initiatives that can be taken up under CSR. BOSCH should be involved in more and more of such activities, the minister explained.

Sudhakar said that vaccination is being given at 3,500 centres across the State and on Monday alone 79,000 were inoculated, which is the highest so far. He urged people above the age of 60 years and people above 45 years with comorbidities to get the vaccination on priority and there is no adverse effect reported so far.