TIRUCHY: The absence of a doctor and staff nurse at the Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) in Kuzhumikkarai, Alwarthoppu, for the past two weeks has left hundreds of residents without regular access to basic healthcare, forcing poor patients, pregnant women and the elderly with chronic illnesses to travel at least 4km to government hospitals or private facilities.
The UPHC caters to more than 1,000 families in Alwarthoppu, Mettutheru, Steelthoppu, Kajathoppu and Hidayath Nagar in Wards 28 and 29. Residents said they are now being forced to travel to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital or spend money at private hospitals even for routine treatment and medication.
According to residents, the corporation shifted the doctor and staff nurse to other health facilities citing administrative reasons. With neither available regularly, only a staff member is currently attending to the facility, they alleged.
The issue was raised at the Tiruchy corporation council meeting on August 27 by Ward 29 councillor C Kamal Mustafa, who urged the civic body to immediately restore the UPHC’s regular functioning by appointing a doctor and adequate staff.
The UPHC, which opened on March 15, 2023, provides treatment for common ailments and also caters to patients requiring pregnancy check-ups and treatment for hypertension and diabetes. It is equipped with a laboratory, ECG and blood sugar testing facilities, and receives more than 80 patients a day.
“We got this hospital after years of effort. It is disappointing to see the facility functioning without a doctor. I have also come to know that there are attempts to convert this facility into a Siddha hospital,” Mustafa told TNIE. He said economically weaker sections who depend on the UPHC are the worst affected. “Pregnant women and the elderly are particularly affected. The corporation should immediately appoint a permanent doctor and ensure that the hospital functions properly,” he said.
R Alavudeen, a resident of Alwarthoppu, said, “I regularly come here to get my hypertension tablets. Since there is no doctor now, I have to visit a private hospital even for routine treatment. This is causing considerable inconvenience and expense.”
However, Tiruchy City Health Officer M Karthikeyan disputed the residents’ claim that the doctor had been unavailable for two weeks. “The doctor was absent only for three days. Only the staff nurse is currently unavailable. We are taking steps to appoint a replacement staff nurse. Doctors are available at the hospital, and medical services are continuing,” he said.
