Vizag’s 66 UPHCs equipped to conduct 72 tests for free

There are 66 Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) under Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) limits with advanced facilities to conduct 72 types of medical tests free of cost.

The tests to be conducted at UPHCs include Hemoglobin, Total Leucocyte Count, Platelet Count, Complete Blood Count, Packed Cell Volume, Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin, Fasting Blood Sugar, Glucose Tolerance Test, S. Bilirubin Indirect, Serum Creatine, Serum Amylase, Blood Urea, Uric Acid, Serum Calcium, S. Triglycerides, Serum Total Cholesterol, Very Low Density Lipo Protein, High Density Lipo Protein, Human Chronic Gonadotropin (urine test for pregnancy), HIV test, Hepatitis B, blood group, stool for ova & cyst, dengue, malaria, sputum for AFB, stool for occult blood, clotting time, typhoid, HCV antibody, smear for leprosy, T3, T4, TSH (for newborn screening), erythrocyte sedimentation rate, sodium, potassium and chloride.

However, doctors say people are not utilising the services at UPHCs properly. Instead, people are consulting private laboratories attached to private clinics and corporate hospitals, or the crowded government-run King George Hospital.

Officials admit that the lack of public awareness on the services available at UPHCs, as well as misconceptions about poor services at UPHCs are the reasons for the situation.

“It is the government’s responsibility to create more awareness among people about the services they provide at UPHCs,” said K. Surya Rao, a citizen at MVP Colony.

When contacted, Visakhapatnam District Medical & Health Officer P. Jagadeshwara Rao agreed that one of the reasons is lack of awareness about the facilities and services at UPHCs. “We are trying to correct them with a series of meetings with our staff, especially Accredited Social Health Workers (ASHAs) who act as a liaison between the communities (people) and the health system,” Dr Rao said.

He said that people don’t need to visit private clinics or crowded KGH for every laboratory tests. Instead, they can approach nearby UPHCs where the services are free.

Several UPHCs in Visakhapatnam have been listed among the top heath service providers in the State and the country. The UPHC at PM Palam has been certified by the Central Quality Supervisory Committee, a unit of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, for its performance as per National Quality Assurance Standards for Public Health Facilities in 12 thematic areas. The certification was given in February, 2024 and it is valid till February 22, 2027.

Explaining the facilities offered by UPHCs in general, PM Palam UPHC Medical Officer Suzanne Palla said, “If a person goes for complete blood count, renal profile, sugar, lipid profile, liver function test and normal urine, it costs ₹2,645. But, in UPHC the tests will be conducted absolutely free. As doctors we suggest appropriate tests depending on the patient’s complaint. We have registered 1,065 OP cases in August so far. There are 314 fever cases,” Dr Suzanne said. The Hindu