Gujarat govt OKays 24 new primary health centers

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government today announced that Health Minister Rishikesh Patel has granted in-principle approval for 24 new Primary Health Centers (P.H.C.s) across various districts in the state.

The Health Minister stated that these centers will play a crucial role in strengthening and making the state’s rural healthcare infrastructure more accessible and beneficial to the public.

He further explained that primary health centers in the state are approved based on rural population standards set by the Government of India. As per these guidelines, one primary health center is sanctioned for every 30,000 rural residents in general areas and every 20,000 residents in tribal areas.

Currently, under the 2011 rural population standards, a total of 1,499 primary health centers are approved and operational in the state.

The approval of these 24 new centers has been granted based on geo-spatial analysis, considering geographical conditions and the distance between existing centers, rather than solely adhering to the specified population standards. This ensures the provision of healthcare services in remote and inaccessible areas.

It is noteworthy that each primary health center is staffed with a medical officer, laboratory technician, junior pharmacist, senior clerk, and other personnel. DeshGujarat