Nat’l recognition for Chemmaruthy FHC

Thiruvananthapuram: Family health centre, Chemmaruthy in Varkala has become the first health centre in the district to be awarded National Quality Assurance Certification. The centre scored 88% and met all criteria required for national quality certification as per the communication issued by Manoj Jhalani, additional secretary and mission director, National health mission.
The centre went through a three-step procedure before it crossed the final hurdle. The district-level evaluation and state-level recommendation were completed by February following which it was escalated for national-level assessment. The facility underwent assessment by a two-member team of empanelled external assessors from March 1 to 2.
Dr PV Arun, district programme manager, NHM,Trivandrum said that it was a commendable achievement. “The centre received special praise for documentation of records. The assessors opined that there was a uniform flow to the documentation procedure at the health centre. The assessment includes a 150 point check list and involves an elaborate process spanning across various departments,'' said P V Arun.
The family health centre has five doctors, five staff nurses, two lab technicians and two pharmacists. It handles an average of 300-350 outpatients a day which on some days go up to 600. People from neighbouring four panchayats depend on Family health centre at Chemmaruthy. The centre was also noted for its eco-friendly measures in waste management, water conservation and rain water harvesting.
The waiting time of a patient, the care provided to patients, the total time spent by a patient at the centre from the time of registration were evaluated as part of certification. The family health centre also has a gymnasium attached to it as an additional component of preventive health care. Patients are also given awareness on various diseases at the centre which also contributed to the certification.
P V Arun said that Poozhanadu health centre at Perumkadavila panchayat has also completed district and state level assessment and will soon be escalated for certification at the national level.
Making sense of 2019 #ElectionswithtimesView Full Coverage