MADURAI: A total of 83 Health Sub Centre buildings in Madurai district have been closed in the last two years after they were declared as unfit by the Public Works Department which conducted an inspection recently. The centres now function out of rented buildings or in anganwadi centres.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, an office bearer of Tamil Nadu Sanitary Supervisors Association (Madurai) said, "The centres play a vital role in rural health care. Among other services, vaccination programmes are carried out by nurses of these centres. But most of the centres function in buildings that were constructed thirty years ago, and have become weak over time. These should be razed or closed."
Speaking to TNIE, former president of Thiruvengadam Panchayat A Palaniammal said, "The health centre in our village is more than 35 years old. Harsh weather has taken a toll on the structure. We carried out minor repairs, but the entire structure is weak now. We have sought help from the MLA to construct a new building, but we are yet to get a response. The health department must attend to such issues."
Speaking to TNIE, District Health Officer (Madurai) Dr P Kumaragurubaran said,"There are more than 314 Health Sub Centre (HSC) in Madurai. Around 227 centres are old and were constructed thirty years ago. Many of them are in dilapidated conditions.
We requested the PWD Department to inspect the centres, after we received complaints from nurses and panchayat heads. The PWD officials conducted an inspection and declared 83 centres as unfit. They have been closed. We have sent proposals to the government to construct new centres."
He added, "Many centres are now running from rented premises, anganwadi centres as just one nurse is currently placed in such centres."