TIRUCHY: The Vannadu and Kombai panchayats in Pachamalai hills under Thuraiyur block of the district share six health sub-centres between them but most remain locked or offer minimal services, complain residents. With pregnant women and people encountering emergencies forced to travel around 30 km downhill for accessing quality health care, residents demand establishment of at least a primary health centre (PHC), preferably at Manalodai, to cater to the 10,000-odd population scattered in 34 villages.
“We don’t even get basic medicines. For BP tablets or to treat a wound, we must travel downhill,” said Muthuraman of Sithadu. In Melur, the only sub-centre with a doctor, services are offered only twice a week and we have to travel 25-30 km to the Thuraiyur government hospital or to the Sengattupatti PHC for routine check-ups and medicines, add villagers. “Pregnant women and people with co-morbidities don’t have regular check-ups. Accident and snake-bite cases lose precious time on the road,” said L Eshwaran of Manalodai.
As for the Manalodai wellness centre, a board lists antenatal services as offered on Mondays, mental health-related consultation on Tuesdays, geriatric care on Thursdays and services for adolescents on Saturdays. Villagers, however, say the centre is usually locked. “If these services truly were offered, we wouldn’t be asking for a PHC,” said Muthuraman.
Pointing out that accessibility adds to the crisis, Eshwaran said, “We often can’t call an ambulance. Sometimes we walk to where it is parked or take patients on bikes. For chest pain or pregnancy cases, it may be too late,” said Eshwaran. While Thuraiyur MLA Stalin Kumar during the recent state Assembly session reminded the House how the deputy chief minister had in 2024 assured the villagers of considering their demand, Health Minister Ma Subramanian rejected it, citing Union government norms requiring 20,000 people in hilly areas for the establishment of a PHC in a locality.
Villagers argue such rules ignore their reality. “We are treated as if statistics matter more than lives. A snake bite or delivery should not require a 30-kilometre ride,” said S Alagamuthu of Thonnur. When enquired, Deputy Director of Health Services (Tiruchy) VC Hemachand Gandhi told TNIE that the health centres at Kinathur, Pudhur, Manalodai, Periya Iluppur, Sembuluchampatti and Melur were “functional,” but limited to maternal and child care. She, however, admitted that vaccines cannot be stored without pharmacists or cold-chain storage facilities.
On locked centres, she said staff had been instructed to keep them open, although adding that the establishment of a PHC required a government policy decision. Meanwhile, health officials said staff shortage was the main hurdle, with nurses and mid-level health care providers diverted elsewhere.
Perambalur MP Arun Nehru, under whose constituency the said panchayats fall and to whom also the residents have submitted petitions on the matter, said, “Population norms are the hurdle. I have asked the department to post staff on rotation basis at least three days a week. I’m also exploring private participation.” Meanwhile, a tribal welfare department official added that infrastructure could be created under the Tribal Sub-Plan if the health department deployed doctors.