To enhance medical services at the village level, the Health, Medical and Family Welfare Department has laid emphasis on strengthening the basic infrastructure by making 100% drugs, diagnostics as well as staff available at PHCs, said J Nivas, Commissioner, Health, Family Welfare, and Mission Director, National Health Mission. He spoke to TNIE on the development of infrastructure and medical services at the basic level
What are the activities taken up to strengthen the medical system in the State?
We have strengthened the Primary Health Centres and sub-centres to offer quality medical services to the people as emphasised by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. The number of medical tests conducted by the PHCs has been increased to 60 from 21. The PHCs have been strengthened with 67 types of drugs and 12 diagnostics, besides two staffers (nurse and ANM)
How much budget has been allocated to the medical and health department?
The State government has allocated Rs 15,000 crore to the department for 2022-23.
What is the difference between the PHC and Dr YSR Village Clinic?
The PHC will be managed by medical officers. There will be two doctors in each PHC. We are working with a goal of establishing two PHCs in each mandal in the State. Each PHC covers 13 village secretariats. Generally, there are 20 to 30 secretariats in every mandal. One vehicle will be provided to every 13 secretariats to enable the doctors make visits. The services offered by the PHC include vaccination, attending deliveries, family planning and TB and HIV tests, antenatal checkup and others. The government has proposed to set up 10,032 YSR Village Health Clinics in the State, which are aimed to be the first point of solution to a disease. They all are under construction. Of the total, construction of nearly 3,000 YSR Clinics have been completed so far.
How do YSR Clinics serve villagers?
YSR Clinics are envisaged to offer round-the-clock services at the village level as there will be a residential quarter for ANM on their premises. The clinic is manned by one ANM and one Mid-Level Health Provider (MLHP). In all, 14 tests, including OPD, disease control programmes, NCD screening, FP services, immunisation and diagnostics will be done. As many as 67 types of medicines will be dispensed. Yoga and wellness activities are also available at the clinics. Moreover, all routine and additional immunisation for children and pregnant women are done at the village level.
The government has decided to set up 17 new medical colleges, including a tribal medical college in the State. When will the colleges become operational?
Construction works of all the 16 medical colleges have commenced. The issues pertaining to setting up of new medical colleges at Narsipatnam and Nandyal have been resolved. We are planning to start the new medical colleges from the next academic year.
Can you briefly tell the details of the works undertaken in the medical and health department under the Nadu-Nedu programme?
About 140 new PHCs have been sanctioned under Nadu-Nedu and construction works are going on. Revamping all the existing PHCs has been taken up and 176 new health centres are in the offing. Nadu-Nedu funds will be utilised to develop CHCs into area hospitals. A few new area hospitals are also being constructed under the scheme.
There is a rise in incidence of AIDS in the State in recent times. Can we expect an AIDS-free Andhra Pradesh in near future?
AIDS kits are available at PHCs. Now, we are planning AIDS testing at the sub-centre level by making kits available. Steps have been taken ensure the availability of ART medicines at ART centres and satellite ART centres. The Andra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) is taking all the measures to curb the spread of the disease. With the rise in online dating apps, the number of HIV and AIDS case has also increased. With the help of an NGO, APSACS is set to identify vulnerable groups to promote AIDS awareness among them.
What measures are taken to prevent malaria and seasonal diseases?
We are very well aware of the situation. For the first time, we have supplied dengue rapid test kits to all the PHCs and sub-centres in urban areas. Around 56,000 kits have been supplied so far and 1.36 lakh more will be provided soon. We have Vector Hygiene App to control malaria. An ANM will identify the mosquito breeding places and wet places through the app, which will alert the panchayat secretary and the village/ward secretary to take preventive measures. Then it will be further confirmed by the ANM. Then only that complainant will be closed. In August, the ANMs raised 31,000 issues and 21,000 have been resolved by the Panchayat Raj Department.
When will the family doctor concept reach the masses?
The government has come up with the concept to provide quality health care to people at the village level. With the implementation of the family physician concept, a patient does not need to visit the PHC. The doctor will visit vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and children. Each PHC medical officer needs to visit villages 13 days a month. The medical officer and his team need to visit the health centres twice a month. With the help of the family doctor, medication and diagnostics will be provided on hub and spoke model whenever it is necessary.
How many people have been administered Covid precautionary dose?
We have administered precautionary dose to 74% of the target groups, such as sanitation staff, frontline workers and 60 plus age group. In the 18 to 60 age group, 83 lakh people out of the total 3.16 crore have been vaccinated.