PARVATIPURAM MANYAM: In a major step towards improving healthcare in tribal areas, the Parvatipuram-Manyam district administration launched its first prefabricated health sub-centre, ‘Giri Arogya Kendra,’ in Salur mandal on Monday.
Tribal Welfare Minister Gummadi Sandhya Rani inaugurated the centre at Karadavalasa village under the Tonam Primary Health Centre (PHC).
Designed to make healthcare accessible in remote hilly regions, the initiative aims to end the reliance on makeshift stretchers, known as ‘doli,’ for transporting patients during emergencies.
The Giri Arogya Kendra will serve over 2,000 residents across Karadavalasa and 10 neighbouring villages in Salur and Pachipenta mandals. The initiative addresses the chronic lack of healthcare access in a district marked by poverty and poor road connectivity.
Despite 75 years of independence, many tribal villages in Salur, Pachipenta, Kurupam, Jiyyammavalasa, Gummalaxmipuram, Seethampeta, and Makkuva mandals remain without proper roads, often leading to fatal delays in emergencies.
District Collector A Shyam Prasad explained that these health centres are equipped with four beds, medical testing facilities for 14 conditions, including malaria, dengue, HIV, and tuberculosis, and 105 varieties of essential medicines.
Additionally, medical officers from PHCs will conduct weekly outpatient visits, while 104 mobile medical units will operate twice a month.
The Collector emphasised the initiative’s transformative potential, stating, “The centre will replace the need for doli journeys by bringing healthcare closer to tribal communities. The facility is equipped to manage conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and anaemia, offering medicines, iron injections, and routine immunisation. Blood tests, including for iodine and pregnancy-related issues, will also be conducted.”
The district plans to set up five such container hospitals, with Karadavalasa serving as the pilot project. Upcoming centres are proposed for Srirangapadu under Duddukhallu PHC, Peddagudda under Thadikonda PHC in Gummalaxmipuram, Poradanguda under Modemkhallu PHC in Kurupam, and Konda Mosuru under GN Peta PHC in Pachipenta.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to improve tribal health, reduce mortality rates, and promote awareness about nutrition and immunisation.
Sandhya Rani hailed the project as a milestone in tribal welfare. “The centre ensures no tribal resident has to endure the arduous doli journey for medical emergencies. This effort reflects our government’s commitment to creating a healthier AP,” she said.
Residents are encouraged to utilise the services offered by these container hospitals to access healthcare.