ABSTRACT
Introduction
Primary health center (PHC) is a first port of call to a qualified doctor of the public sector in rural areas. Standards are the main driver for continuous improvement in quality. The performance of PHCs can be assessed against the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) recommended for PHCs in early 2007. The overall objective of IPHS for PHCs is to provide health care, i.e., quality oriented and sensitive to the needs of the community. These standards would also help monitor and improve the functioning of the PHCs.
Aims and objectives
This study was carried out to assess (1) the infrastructure, equipments, instruments, staffing, and other facilities; (2) the services being provided at PHCs; (3) to find out the reasons for nonutilization of health services and suggest remedial measures for the same.
Material and methods
This was a cross-sectional study at two PHCs, namely Thatiya and Umerda of Tirwa block of Kannauj District selected randomly for assessment. Health care providers, mainly medical officers, were interviewed using pretested, precoded pro forma. Descriptive analysis was used as per study requirements.
Results
It has been found that only outpatient department services were being provided with many missing components, such as one of the most important ones like maternal and child health and family planning. Physical infrastructure and facilities were inadequate at both the PHCs. Both of them were grossly underequipped and understaffed. Medical officers face their own problems; even basic amenities of life like water, electricity, canteen, etc., are lacking there.
Conclusion
Both the PHCs were not performing up to the expectations and standards of the Indian Public Health.
How to cite this article
Masood A, Singh AK, Martolia DS, Midha T. Assessment of Indian Public Health Standards in the Primary Health Centers in a District of Uttar Pradesh, India. Int J Adv Integ Med Sci 2017;2(2):53-60.
Assessing Indian public health standards for community health centers: A case study with special reference to essential newborn care services