Date:30/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/30/stories/2008063058810300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

The Medavakkam model worth emulating

K. Manikandan

Good response to upgradation of the PHC into hospital

Earlier, no more than 350 patients visited the facility, now every day, 600-800 patients come
Private help can be seen at Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine in Tambaram Sanatorium

— PHOTO: A.MURALITHARAN.

SETTING AN EXAMPLE: A view of the upgraded Primary Health Centre in Medavakkam.

CHENNAI: The upgradation of the Medavakkam Primary Health Centre into a 30-bed hospital with support from the voluntary organisation, Catalyst Trust, and contributions from corporate houses to improve its premises is seen as just a start for more such ventures in public health. The response to the new facility has been encouraging. Earlier, not more than 350 patients visited the facility and only one delivery could be attended to but the figure has now doubled ever since it was dedicated on Saturday last. Every day, between 600 and 800 patients come to the centre and two deliveries are being attended to, Saidapet Health Unit District officials said.

The response was encouraging as more deliveries could be conducted in government hospitals that offered better quality in terms of facilities, they said.

Though there have been instances in the past where help and assistance from the private sector was restricted to free medical camps conducted by the government, the upgraded hospital was the first visible example of how involvement of the Corporate houses and voluntary organisations could bring out a visible change in service delivery in government medical facilities.

Private hospitals in the suburbs have already been contributing by conducting free rural health and eye check up camps for several years now.

But the turnout at government hospitals in rural pockets could be more if the “Medavakkam model” is taken forward, the officials said.

Tambaram Municipality also attempted to bring in a private hospital to offer better services, but it failed due to stiff opposition from its elected council.

Kelambakkam-based Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute offered to provide low-cost lab and medical testing facilities to residents at the Municipal Maternity Hospital in East Tambaram, but the proposal failed as councillors cutting across party affiliations rejected the idea on the grounds that the charges were high.

The hospital offered to provide those services that would have been a dream in any government hospital in an urban local body.

Private help in a government hospital can be seen at the Government Hospital for Thoracic Medicine in Tambaram Sanatorium, but on a big scale.