Vizag’s urban health centres to operate 24/7

There are now about 66 urban health centres under the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation limits providing basic health services from 9 am to 5 pm. They close on Sunday.

“For every 10 urban health centres, we are planning to open on community urban health centres strategically located in Visakhapatnam city, which will have specialist doctors, nurses, pharmacists, data entry operators, and a few supporting staff which would function round-the-clock,’’ said district medical and health officer Dr P. Jagadiswara Rao.

Talking to this correspondent, the DMHO said these round-the-clock centres would ease the load on King George Hospital and would be closer to the patients. He said presently, urban health centres located on the outskirts of the city are providing round-the-clock services.

Senior leader of CITU P. Mani, who has been fighting for improvement of urban health services for the last two decades, said community urban health centres were being discussed for the last few months but the state government was not hastening up the process.

“The government is more interested in privatising these services,’’ Mani told this correspondent.

She said immunisation has improved due to the urban health centres, and with more commitment from the government, more services could be given. During Covid-19, the urban health centres conducted a massive vaccination programme, she said.
Many doctors said people were not utilising the services at the urban health centres due to a lack of awareness. Many said most of the patients were preferring private clinics and labs.

“Around 50 patients visit each UPHC every day on average,’’ the DMHO added.