COIMBATORE: Three primary health centres (PHC) in Valparai taluk have been functioning without the sanctioned strength of doctors for at least a year now.
Sources said the health department has been managing the situation by posting doctors from one PHC to another on rotation.
Of the three PHCs in Valparai taluk, one is situated in the town and the rest are in rural areas, The centre has been sanctioned three doctors, including one for the mobile medical unit, but it does not have even one doctor. Doctors from Solaiyar Nagar and Mudis Nagar PHCs attend to patients here on a shift basis.
While the government hospital provides advanced medical support, PHCs help reduce their burden by providing basic and essential services like monitoring pregnant women, vaccination of children and mothers, conducting medical camps, and handling non-communicable diseases like diabetes, and blood pressure.
“The shortage of doctors at all three PHCs affects the delivery of medical services. The PHC located in Valparai town has a footfall of 80-100 outpatients on an average per day. But it does not have even a single permanent doctor against the sanctioned strength of three. It adds to the workload of doctors in the other two PHCs which also are short of manpower.
Three doctors should be appointed for the PHC in Valparai town and two each for the other two PHCs. Now, the Valparai PHC is managed by doctors from the other PHCs,” said P Paramasivam, CPI (M) Valparai taluk secretary.
Sources from the Health Department said the doctor posted for the mobile medical unit of the Valparai PHC has to visit the villages and estate areas and conduct medical camps regularly. This post is essential as Valparai often faces fever outbreaks due to rain and adverse weather. However, the post remains vacant, sources added.
Sources also said that the Valparai PHC does not have a lab technician and PHCs in Solaiyar Nagar and Mudis Nagar do not have pharmacists.
A senior official in the health department said the recent recruitment conducted by the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB) filled the vacancies only in 20 districts which are listed as backward. Valparai which also is in the same condition has not been considered. We are working to fill the vacancies.”