Complaints raised over flaws in UPHC assignments in Kochi Corporation

Complaints have been raised about the alleged flaws in the assignment of Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs), with the geographical contiguity factor reportedly ignored across health circles in the Kochi Corporation, making it increasingly difficult for residents to access them.

Currently, divisions under the same health circle are assigned to far off UPHCs. The issue was brought before the National Health Mission (NHM) authorities during a presentation ahead of the maiden meeting of the newly elected council on Tuesday. There are 12 UPHCs within the Corporation limits.

Henry Austin, councillor for the Vaduthala East division and has since been nominated to the Corporation’s health standing committee, demanded that the flaws be rectified and UPHCs reassigned based on geographical proximity following the delimitation of divisions. He pointed out that residents from six divisions under the Vaduthala health circle had been assigned to five different UPHCs.

While residents of Vaduthala East and Vaduthala divisions have been directed to the UPHC at Manappattiparambu, those from Pachalam must go to Ponnurunni, Thattazham to Chalikkavattom, and Thrikkanarvattom to Kadavanthra.

This arrangement forces people to take two or sometimes three buses to reach their designated UPHCs, discouraging patronage of the centres. A proposal to assign the Thammanam UPHC to divisions under the Vaduthala circle during the previous council was strongly opposed on similar grounds.

“The present illogical system is based on old division numbers, whose boundaries have since been redrawn, and therefore needs to be revised. Ideally, residents of adjoining divisions should be assigned to the nearest UPHC, which in the case of Vaduthala circle is the centre at Manappattiparambu,” Mr. Austin said.

For example, prior to delimitation, Pachalam and Thattazham divisions were numbered 73 and 74, while Vaduthala West and Vaduthala East were numbered 31 and 32. These numbers influenced the assignment of their respective UPHCs. Post-delimitation, however, the divisions have been renumbered sequentially from 22 to 25.

Responding to the issue during the training session, the NHM authorities acknowledged the confusion and practical difficulties faced by residents and assured that corrective measures would be taken.