The State government’s Pratheeksha scheme to provide 24×7 specialty care services at selected district and general hospitals has proved successful in the Punalur taluk hospital where it was piloted, a statement issued by Health Minister K. Muraleedharan has said. The initiative is aimed at easing overcrowding at medical college hospitals and making specialist care available without delay.

Mr. Muraleedharan said that an evaluation of the functioning of the Punalur taluk hospital showed a remarkable change after the services were rolled out on an experimental basis.

The Minister claimed that the availability of round-the-clock specialty services has benefited the public and that Punalur MLA C. Ajayaprasad had expressed his satisfaction with the manner in which the scheme had been progressing.

At a review meeting chaired by the Health Minister, the hospital superintendent reported that referral cases from the Punalur taluk hospital had been reduced by 30%.

With the help of National Health Mission (NHM), three additional casualty medical officers have been appointed at the hospital, along with two gynaecologists and anaesthetists each and one paediatrician. Three more surgeons will be appointed soon, the Minister said.

Local resistance

Shortage of doctors and local resistance in the redeployment of doctors with PG qualifications from the periphery to the taluk hospital had begun to threaten the implementation of the 24×7 services. Though the government had intended to post at least six specialists each in every specialty, the Punalur taluk hospital continues to manage with just two or three doctors for every specialty.

The superintendent explained at the meeting that the number of deliveries at the hospital had increased since the rollout of the scheme.

The Minister said the 24×7 specialty services would be extended to four more districts now. The 24×7 Pratheeksha Centres will start by the end of October at the Palakkad District Hospital, Tirur District Hospital (Malappuram), Vadakara District Hospital (Kozhikode), and Ernakulam District Hospital. The scheme will be run on a pilot basis in various districts until December this year, and will be implemented fully at the State-level only after proper evaluation.