PRIMARY HEALTH CENTRES

M.E.S. has started its Primary Health Centres (PHC), which are the cornerstone of rural healthcare in 2004 itself as a part of the MES Medical College. These Centres are catering the health care needs of rural population. Each Centre consists of Medical Officers, Dentists, Health Educators, Social Workers, Pharmacists, Nursing staff, Lab technologists, Health Assistants, Drivers etc.. The activities of Primary Health Centres involve preventive, curative and Family Welfare Services.

HEALTH CENTRE – NORTH 24 PARAGANA DISTRICT, WEST BENGAL

In the year 2014, MES Medical College was destined to conduct several Medical Camps in the regions of two states in North India, namely in Assam and Musafarnagar in UP. Thousands of people were subjected to brutal attacks causing large no. of mortality and inflicting fatal injuries to thousands of the residents there, especially the minorities. MES on hearing this pathetic news, wasted no time in mobilizing a Medical team of Doctors and Paramedical staff with medicines who rushed to the refugee camps at various locations in these states. The experiences, our team had in these refugee camps, were real eye openers to us to know how ill equipped the villages and towns of these north Indian states are, to face the exigencies of immediate medical care for the common people, even for primary health care.

It was this experience of a FACE to FACE encounter with the tragic scenes that witnessed in those places that prompted MES, to think aloud about this pathetic condition prevailing in the thousands of backward villages and to find out a permanent solution by active involvement. MES came forward to shoulder the responsibility of uplift of such villages and provide its leadership in working for the cause of these unfortunate villagers. MES has decided to set up an educational health complex in villages of the 24 pargaras District, which is one of the most educational backward districts in the country as per Sachar Commission Report where people have to walk miles to get proper education and medical care.

Then, everything was put into motion in breakneck speed. Malik brothers of Harinkola village showed their magnanimity and generosity by donating 22 cents of land and got it registered in the name of the MES. A building with 6200 sq.ft floor area was set up spending 75 lacs in 2014 itself. The centre was started on 23rd December 2014 with two doctors and required supportive paramedical staff. The centre has got Pharmacy and Laboratory facilities.

Till this Centre was set up, People in this village, used to go to quack doctors and to those who practice black magic etc for the health care treatment. Now the centre has an average of 15000 patients annually and the centre has also been conducting Medical Camps every week in neighboring villages ever since the inception of the Centre. In January 2015, we have constituted a Pain & Palliative Unit at this centre and started home care visits from August 2015 onwards. Now, 108 cancer patients spread across in 22 villages such as Chakla, Ramnagar, Monjilhati, Colonymore, Subarnapur etc. are now being taken care through Home Care Visits. In addition, we are also conducting Cancer & Community Awareness Programmes periodically. We are also conducting training programs to the villagers on Pain & Palliative care, Community Hygiene & health care and other etiquettes etc on a regular basis and now we have 30 trained volunteers across these 22 Villages of North 24 Paragana District. All these services are being rendered at free of cost.

Now this centre has grown up like a Model Health Centre which would provide Primary & Preventive health care, Immunization activities, spreading of awareness on Nutrition & hygiene and Health Education. This is centre is dedicated not only to the entire residents of this village but also to the whole Nation as a unique model venture to emulate. MES also takes care of the Patients who are found in need of specialty treatment will be referred to MES Medical College at Perinthalmanna, in Malappuram District in Kerala for further treatment.

MES HEALTH CENTRE AT PANDIKKAD, MALAPPURAM DISTRICT, KERALA.

Pandikkad is a large village located in Ernad of Malappuram District, Kerala with total 3578 familites residing. This village has population of 18406 of which 8729 are males while 9677 are females as per population census 2011. In pandikkad village population of children with age of 0-6 is 2548 which makes up 13.87% of total population of the Village. Average Sex ration of Pandikkad village is 1109 which is higher than Kerala state average of 1084. Child Sex Ratio for the Pandikkad as per census is 966, higher than the state average of 964.

MES has started this centre in 2014 with the facilities of outpatient consultation for medical and dental treatment, with laboratory services and drug store. Later on, Pain & Palliative activities were started and a good number of patients are benefitted with home care visits. Now this centre caters its services to more than 35000 patients in this panchayat annually. Apart from this, this Centre utilizes all its resource for educating the public on various issues like Vaccination, prevention of diseases, family welfare activities etc. Recently, the Centre has started its evening Clinics in General Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynacology, Paediatrics, E.N.T., Orthopaedics etc. in order to reach its services to more people. Apart from these, weekly clinics for Geriatric Care, Mentally Challenged, Pain & Palliative care are also being conducted. This centre has introduced a novel health programme for school students in and around this village. All the students would be screened on their Health & Dental hygiene, Vision & Hearing, Mental & Physical stress etc. and health records would be prepared and submitted to the respective school for further management.

MES HEALTH CENTRE AT PATTIKAD, VETTATHUR PANCHAYATH, KERALA.

This centre was started in 2007 at Pattikad in Vettathur Panchayath as a Rural health Centre of MES Medical College. It is gramapanchayath in Malappuram District, having population of 31,335. Now, the centre has facilities for outpatient consultation for Medical & Dental treatment with Lab & Pharmacy facilities. The Entire treatment including consultation, laboratory investigations, Drugs, Vaccination is provided free of cost. Annually an average of 20,000 patients are availing its services. This centre has initiated and introduced a special programme called “ MISSIO MUKTHI “ in order to eradicate Vaccine preventable diseases like diphtheria, whooping cough, measles, and tetanus that are being reported from different parts of the district after a long gap. This programme was hailed by many organizations and NGOs and extended their unstinted support for its success. This Centre has also been conducting awareness programmes on all medical days for the public even since the inception of this centre. It also undertakes Cancer Screening campaign, Organising Child Clubs, programmes for Gender empowerment and development of Youth Human Resources.

HEALTH CENTRE AT PERINTHALMANNA MUNICIPALITY

MES started this centre as an Urban health of MES Medical College in 2004 itself. This Municipality has 87, 356 population. This Centre caters its services mainly to the people who resides outskirts of the Municipality. This centre is involved in conducting various studies among the women and using all its resource for the promotion of vaccination. This centre also has the services of Specialty & Super specialty doctors from MES Medical College every day.

HEALTH CENTRE AT ATTAPPADI, PALAKKAD DISTRICT

MES has recently started its new Health Centre at Attappadi, Palakkad District, one of the major tribal Centers in the state and also socially, educationally and economically the most backward village in the state. Although the area is known to be one of the tribal heartland in Kerala, major proportion of the population today is constituted by the settlers from other parts of Kerala and Tamilnadu. The area Dwells 3 tribal community – Mudugars, Irulars and Kurumbars. Of these Kurumbars is the most remote and leads a primitive life in comparison to others. The total population of all these tribal is around 30000. There are a total of 192 tribal hamlets or Ooru in the area.

This centre is set to provide specialist care to tribal people and adequate social workers have been appointed to assess the need of the tribal community and to distribute essential medicines at their doorsteps. Attapadi has always been in the lime light due to infant mortality among the Tribals.

Pregnant women and lactating mothers were found to be suffering from chronic malnutrition and Anemia. Premature delivery and low birth weight was seen as the main reason for the infant deaths in the area. The mothers who had premature delivery gave a history of raised blood pressure (pregnancy induced hypertension) and anemia. The necessary measures are being brought out to take care of pregnant women and tribal children. A comprehensive health education programme is being charted out to address all these issue by this Centre. Apart from the Health promotional activities conducted at the Centre, wide spread outreach programmes on various health issue are being organized in the tribal colonies.

UPCOMING CENTRES

MES is also on verge of expanding the services of a Health Centres at Paravanna (undeveloped coastal area) of Malappuram District. Paravanna fisheries village is spread over three wards of Vettom Gram Panchayath. This centre will give more emphasis on skin related diseases as it is being a coastal area. A extensive awareness campaign would be organized among the fishermen giving more stress on filariasis, congenital diseases and vaccination. MES is also starting an another Health Centre at Feroke Grama panchayath at Calicut very soon. This centre will have the facilities for dialysis treatment apart from other routine activities.

MES proposes to expand similar network of Health Complex / Centres all over India to extend affordable Medicare care to the ill-fated poor living even at farthest nook of the country