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Patients unhappy with ‘Arogya Kendrams’
‘Mukhyamantri Pattana Arogya Kendram’, an alternative for Public Health Centres in the city, has failed to fill the gap between
Vijayawada: ‘Mukhyamantri Pattana Arogya Kendram’, an alternative for Public Health Centres in the city, has failed to fill the gap between community service and medical treatment. Though the kendrams have been working since October, the patients are still new to the ambience at 23 Arogya Kendrams working in the city under the control of Apollo Hospitals. Chinna, an attendant of a pregnant woman, who approached the hospital, said none of the Arogya Kendram ANMs or volunteers visited their house to enquire about the health problems.
Community service came to a halt because of newly introduced system, says Dr Gangadhar, State president of Indian Medical Association (IMA). Immunisation, pre and post pregnancy and field work were not part of the agreement entered into with private partner who took up the functioning of health centres.
Except for treatment with MBBS doctors and specialists via video conference, all other aspects were ignored, he said.
Parvati (62), a patient from Krishna Lanka, said she had been visiting the hospital for the past two months and doctors offered her medicines which are free of cost as she was suffering from arthritis. She said her problem steadily deteriorating and joint pains are unbearable where the doctors are not recommending for further treatment, she lamented.
On the inauguration of the kendram at Jakkampudi on November 9 , Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu declared that more than 20 tests would be conducted free of cost at these PHCs, including free medicines. The government was paying Rs 4 lakh for each of these Arogya Kendrams to the Apollo Hospitals.
Vijay Kumar, Krishna district secretary of United Medical and Health Employees’ Union, minced no words in opposing the new centres. He said there was no clarity on vaccination.
The Apollo Hospital-run health centres neither giving priority to Pulse Polio and National Malaria Eradication Programme which were national schemes nor doing door-to-door survey of the health status of people in the vicinity. The government had operated the previous urban health centres with just Rs 70,000 and used to allot Rs 1 lakh for medicines, he added.
Noor Shaik
