MADURAI: Pregnant women decry having to climb the first floor for check-up at a Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Otthakadai near Madurai city. The health centre is located inside the Otthakadai vegetable market.
Abdul Rahman Jallal, a villager, said, “The facility is a small house where the ground floor is allocated for outpatients and the first floor for female patients, forcing pregnant women to climb stairs for treatment. Tuesdays are allocated for maternal care and related treatments, which makes the facility crowded. Despite several petitions, no decisions were taken by the district health department to resolve the issue.”
Social Activist Veronica Mary said, “Most women of Idaiyapatti, Narasingam, Thirumookur, Rajagambeeram and Bharathi Nagar are dependent on this PHC. Two doctors and four nurses must be appointed for the facility, but only one doctor and two nurses are present.”
“The location of the PHC is inside a market and the VAO office and public toilet is nearby. This is a 30-year-old structure and immediate action to relocate must be taken,” she added.
Speaking to TNIE, Deputy Director of Health Services (Madurai) Dr P Kumaragurubaran said, “The safety of female patients is prioritized, hence they are allocated the first floor, away from oupatients.”
“The ground floor has a doctor’s room for outpatient consultation, a pharmacy and a laboratory. As the facility is small, we cannot risk infection by asking pregnant women to sit in the OP or near the laboratory. Physical check-ups, such as abdomen-related check-ups, for women cannot be set-up near the OP room. Hence, we have allocated the first floor for women."
“Besides, we have already decided to shift the PHC and are searching for the right land, but no private or government area is currently available," he added.