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State to roll out surgeries at primary health centres
The service will begin in the next couple of weeks, and the health department will initially make as many as 35 to 40 types of minor and essential surgeries available at PHCs
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The government will start surgical services at primary health centres (PHCs) across the state, which will reduce the burden on tertiary-level hospitals and improve access to treatment in rural areas, health minister Prakash Abitkar said.
The service will begin in the next couple of weeks, and the health department will initially make as many as 35 to 40 types of minor and essential surgeries available at PHCs.
Currently, these centres provide primary care, emergency services and basic inpatient facilities. Maharashtra has over 1,915 PHCs, and the move is expected to reduce patient referral rates and overcrowding at tertiary care hospitals. Additionally, it will decrease travel time and treatment costs for patients who would otherwise have to visit private hospitals.
The decision has been taken following the empanelment of 2,767 PHCs and Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) under the state-run Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) health scheme. Under MJPJAY, free medical treatment up to ₹5 lakh is provided to all residents of Maharashtra. As many as 2,399 medical procedures are available under the scheme at 5,248 empanelled hospitals across the state.
Abitkar said, “The doctors who were earlier referring patients will now be encouraged to treat them at PHCs. This will reduce referral rates and motivate doctors to provide both medical and surgical services. There are over 30 minor procedures that can be done at the PHC level, and we will start with these and gradually expand the procedures,” Abitkar said.
According to the officials, to support the rollout, the health department will upgrade infrastructure, equipment and manpower at PHCs, while the process of accreditation has already begun.
“The government also plans to recruit over 5,000 staff to strengthen services, with a focus on improving operating theatre facilities,” said Dr Bhagwan Pawar, deputy director of health services, Pune region.
