GUNTUR: In order to provide better medical services to the urban people, the State government has decided to set up YSR Urban Health Centres. At present, there are only 32 urban health clinics available for a population of close to 16,52,738 in the district.
As many as 50 centres are being constructed in 12 municipalities including Macherla, Piduguralla, Dachepalli, Gurazala, Narasaraopet, Chilakaluripet, Vinukonda, Sattenapalli, Ponnurur, Repalle, Tenali, Bapatla and at Guntur and Mangalagiri-Tadepalli Municipal Corporations. The aim of setting up the health centres is to provide medical services to all at a commute of two kilometres.
A sum of Rs 10 lakh has been allocated to each health centre with existing facilities, while Rs 80 lakh has been allotted for the construction of new centres. For every 60,000 people in the GMC, one health clinic is available. For the entire city population of nine lakh, there are only 13 health clinics. The people in the merged villages and far away places have no option but to travel several kilometres to visit the Government General Hospital for any kind of treatment.
With the construction of 17 more clinics, a health clinic will be available for every twenty-five thousand people in the city. Two doctors, three staff nurses, a lab technician, and a pharmacist will be available at these centres.
The DMHO has already recruited 45 medical officers and released a notification for the appointment of 137 staff nurses, 47 lab technicians, and 69 DEO posts in urban health centres on contact basis. The eligible candidates can submit the application by the end of this month.