TIRUNELVELI: The residents of Thisayanvilai and surrounding villages of Tirunelveli district, as well as local residents of nearby areas in Thoothukudi district, have renewed calls to upgrade the Thisayanvilai Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) to a taluk hospital, highlighting critical staff shortages and unmet healthcare needs adversely affecting nearly 70,000 people.
According to the patients, the UPHC in Thisayanvilai is a vital healthcare provider for not only Thisayanvilai taluk but also Arasoor panchayat in Thoothukudi district. Nearly 35,000 residents of Thisayanvilai Special Grade Town Panchayat alone rely on this centre. However, at present, it functions with just two doctors, against the requirement of six, forcing patients, particularly low-income residents, to seek expensive treatment at private facilities, they said.
"Last year, Health Minister Ma Subramanian had visited the UPHC and issued memos to the absentee staff after noticing the lack of facilities. Yet, service disruptions persist, with nurses allegedly administering treatments for venomous bites without supervision of doctors and consulting absentee doctors over the phone during emergencies," patients alleged.
Locals complained that pregnant women are often referred to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TvMCH) due to the absence of doctors at the UPHC, despite the availability of 30 beds at the centre. Recently, a controversy had also erupted after a Congress cadre alleged that the doctors of the UPHC were using torn Congress campaign notices as prescription chits.
"Accident trauma patients brought to the UPHC are redirected to Nanguneri Government Hospital for Accident Register (AR) entry before being sent to TvMCH, with some dying en route due to the delay. A youth from Pattarai Sakthi Vilai recently died in such circumstances. If someone meets with an accident in Kuttam, they have to travel nearly 80 km to reach TvMCH, leading to fatal delays," the locals added.
Amid this juncture, residents and associations in Thisayanvilai, including traders, welfare groups, and consumer organisations, have collectively demanded the immediate upgrade of the UPHC into a taluk hospital for the benefit of over 70,000 people. They have also requested the authorities to allot two additional 108 ambulances, given Thisayanvilai's location at the border of two districts.
When contacted by TNIE, District Health Officer Dr Geetha Rani said, "In place of the sanctioned six, at present only two doctors are working in this UPHC. However, I have recently posted three more doctors and six nurses at the centre. The district has 49 PHCs with 28 doctor-post vacancies. I will be paying frequent visits to UPHC, and have instructed the staff in Thisayanvilai to prioritise patient care."