Large no of health sub-centres in rural India do not have building: Report

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A large number of sub-centres, which are the most peripheral and first point of contact between the primary health care system and the community in rural India, do not have their own building, according a government report.

These sub-centres operate either from a rented building or space provided by the local village panchayat or voluntary society building, according to the 'Health Dynamics of India (Infrastructure and Human Resources) 2022-23', an annual publication formerly known as 'Rural Health Statistics', which was released by the Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra on Monday.

The report shows India has a total of 169,000 sub-centres, 31,882 primary health centres (PHCs), 6,359 community health centres (CHCs), 1,340 sub-divisional/district hospitals (SDHs), 714 district hospitals (DHs), and 362 medical colleges (MCs) serving both rural and urban areas.

While releasing the report, Chandra said that there is a need to integrate the Health Management Information System (HMIS) portal with the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal and other portals of the health ministry to ensure that the data is uploaded timely and analysed carefully.

The document has been published since 1992.

Highlighting the document as a source of reliable and authentic information on various aspects of the National Health Mission (NHM), Chandra said, "The annual publication is a valuable document furnishing much-needed information on manpower and infrastructure within the NHM, helpful in policy making, improving processes and problem solving."

He added that the document gives a cross-analysis across the states on the availability and deficiencies in manpower and infrastructure.

The data is immensely helpful in understanding the requirements of the states, their priority areas and formulating policies and targeted campaigns, Chandra said.

The health statistics also aid in making a comparison in the performance of the states on different parameters, he highlighted.

Since 1992, the publication has provided detailed annual data on health infrastructure and human resources, with updates as of March 31 each year.

This data is crucial for the stakeholders in the health sector as it supports effective planning, monitoring and management of the health infrastructure across the country.

By providing a clear snapshot of the current state of healthcare infrastructure and human resources, the publication serves as a foundational tool for identifying gaps and addressing needs in various areas, including in rural, urban and tribal regions.