ARIYALUR: Lack of basic amenities at the Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) at Ariyalur has been affecting the growing number of patients coming from Ariyalur town. The UPHC lacks basic facilities, including proper toilets and adequate infrastructure. The UPHC, functioning on Jayankondam Road since 2013, is staffed by a doctor and two to three medical staff.
Operating 24 hours a day, the facility receives over 300 patients daily from Ariyalur town and nearby villages for fever, headaches, and routine check-ups. Patients with hypertension and diabetes also receive medication here. Additionally, more than 100 pregnant women visit the centre every Tuesday for prenatal check-ups. The facility has only four beds, and childbirth is performed here as well.
Earlier, the UPHC was operated from a rented building, but since March 2024, it has been functioning in a government-owned facility. In the past one and a half years, around 100 deliveries have been conducted at the centre. The improved facility has led to a steady increase in patients.
However, the centre continues to face severe space constraints, insufficient beds, and inadequate toilet facilities. There is only one toilet for all staff, including the doctor, and limited facilities for patients and attendants.
R Meena, a resident who frequently accompanies her relatives to the centre, said, "It is very difficult for women, especially pregnant mothers, to manage in such conditions. If there are one or two deliveries on the same day, patients are referred to Ariyalur Medical College Hospital, which causes them significant hardship. We urgently need additional building facilities or an upgrade of the existing building."
"We come here because it is the only nearby facility, and it provides good treatment to patients. The authorities must act quickly to expand the building and also provide sitting benches for patients waiting for treatment," said S Vijay, a patient who visited the centre last week.
When contacted, an official from the Health Department in Ariyalur said, "Since there is no vacant land in the town, we constructed the centre on the land that was available. However, we have sent a proposal to the government to build additional facilities on the terrace."
