The government primary health centre (PHC) at Karveti Nagaram in Chittoor district, which suffered years of neglect, is now all set to turn into a 50-bedded community health centre much to the happiness of over one lakh population in several mandals of GD Nellore Assembly constituency.
The PHC was inaugurated at Karveti Nagaram in 1975 by the then Chief Minister Jalagam Vengal Rao on a sprawling 10-acre land donated by a local philanthropist. The hospital then catered to the medical needs of about 50 panchayats in the present mandals of S.R. Puram, Vedurukuppam, Palasamudram and Karveti Nagaram. Hundreds of pregnant women were served with institutional deliveries, apart from family planning operations.
Interestingly, the epidemic of anthrax was reportedly first detected in the country at Karveti Nagaram mandal in early 2000, creating a commotion in the public and government circles. This development turned the PHC at Karveti Nagaram into the centre of attraction. However, since a decade, the hospital slowly started slipping into the oblivion. The issues such as allegations of non-availability of doctors and paramedical staff and defunct operation theatre had crept in. The quarters meant for the duty doctors and staff are now in a dilapidated condition.
Thousands of patients from half of the GD Nellore Assembly constituency are now depending on the government hospital at Puttur, and SVRR Hospital and SVIMS hospital at Tirupati, particularly the pregnant women, poison and post-mortem cases.
Deputy Chief Minister K. Narayanaswamy, who represents GD Nellore Assembly constituency, is planning to resurrect the lost glory of the hospital, promising ample funds. The district medical and health authorities have deputed senior medical officer (Nagari constituency in-charge) P. Ravi Raju to accomplish the task.
The medical officer, who inspected the hospital at Karveti Nagaram on Wednesday, said that the immediate steps would include clearing of bushes and repairs to the defunct infrastructure such as wards, toilets and disused blocks. “The operation theatre, which is now dysfunctional, is going to be ready by the next one week,” Dr. Ravi Raju said.
Emergency drugs
The official said that in tune with the government’s decision to upgrade the PHC into 50-bedded hospital, “we are going to procure all the emergency drugs, besides initiation of family planning operations and institutional deliveries.” This would help a population of more than 75,000 in several panchayats to avoid travelling to Puttur, Nagari or Tirupati hospitals, he added,
He said that a decision to either reconstruct or repair the staff quarters would be taken after consultation with the district administration. “Mr. Narayanaswamy is seriously contemplating to keep the Karveti Nagaram hospital on track and to cater to a large number of population in the region. This would bring additional number of medical officers and paramedical staff to the hospital, apart from rapid changes in the emergency services and mobile health care,” Dr. Ravi Raju said.