More than 31,000 patients have already visited primary health centres (PHCs) of Panvel Municipal Corporation (PMC) in the last two months. The civic body opened three new health centres and four sub-centres in May 2023.
The PHCs have not only proved beneficial for people living in remote areas, it has also released pressure from existing hospitals in the Panvel area.
Patients with mild symptoms need not visit PMC
Now, people with minor ailments like fever, cough and cold and viral need not go to hospitals, insteada they just need to visit these primary health centres and sub-centres opened in Rohingya, Palekhurd, Bhingari, Kharghar Sector 12, Koynavale, Padghe, and Tembhonde village.
As per the data shared by PMC, to date, around 31,173 citizens have benefited from these primary centres opening in May.
“From pregnant mothers to senior citizens are getting health facilities at the civic PHCs from 10 am to 10 pm,” said an official from PMC. He added that the additional hours of services in the evening helped many people to get treatment free of cost. “For additional hour services, five employees namely one medical officer, one lab technician, one pharmacist, one nurse, and one housekeeping have been recruited for each health centre,” said the official.
In order to provide health care facilities among people living in remote areas and returning home from work in the evening, in May 2023, the civic chief Ganesh Deshmukh decided to keep PHCs open till late evening.
BMC also took up a similar initiative
A similar initiative was already taken by BMC. It has been running around 92 Hinduhriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray clinics (HBT clinics) and polyclinics under the government’s Aapla Dawakhana scheme which benefitted lakhs of citizens. It has also released pressure from major hospitals in the city.
“PMC is trying to provide quality medical services to the citizens. Apart from daily OPD, these centres are executing vaccination program, Mission Rainbow campaign, Diarrhoea Control Program and National Deworming Program will be implemented the coming days,” Dr. Anand Gosavi, Chief Medical Officer, Panvel Municipal Corporation
