Health centres need better care: Residents

BENGALURU: Residents from across the city have suggested that to improve public health, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the health department should strengthen primary health centres as well as keep them updated regularly.This was one of the prime demands of members of resident welfare associations during a meeting with officials of the health department and the BBMP on Tuesday to discuss how to improve urban health issues and services. For this, a vision document is being prepared, for which an urban health sub-committee has been formed that is taking inputs from citizens. 

Residents have also listed demands like deputing better trained doctors and medical staffers, setting up PHCs in all wards, with an ambulance each, and upgrading PHCs with the latest equipment, making them operate round-the-clock and improving the emergency and pregnancy services. 

Some others also suggested that there was a need for setting up of more public toilets in the city, especially for women, as it was a major urban health concern, addressing the garbage menace and ensuring that health officials are approachable. 

Though Covid-19 was not on the meeting agenda, it became a major topic of discussion, with citizens raising questions on the closing down of public utility areas in apartment complexes, formation of Covid clusters and containment zones and the restrictions in the city.

Dr G K Suresh, chairman of the urban health sub-committee, said that one PHC is needed for a population of every 50,000 and pointed out that the PHC staffers are over burdened. A grievance redressal portal is also being set up to take feedback and address queries. He said that all the feedback taken will be incorporated in the vision document and submitted to the government in another 15-20 days.