ASSESSMENT OF SERVICES / FACILITIES AVAILABLE AT PRIMARY HEALTH CENTRES OF DISTRICT BUDGAM, KASHMIR: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Volume : VIII, Issue : III, March - 2018

Ambrine Ashraf, Ayaz Bhat, Mahrukh

The importance of Primary Health Care was internationally known after Alma Ata Conference in 1978.Primary

health care in India is delivered by Sub center and Primary Health Center. Primary Health Center is the first contact

with a health care professional of a community. National Rural Health Mission laid standards known as Indian

Public Health Standards. This study was done in order to assess the quality of services and to identify any gaps in

the health care delivery by Primary Health Centers(PHCs) in the District Budgam.This was a cross–sectional study

done in four Primary Health Centers of the district and information regarding the availability of services at Primary

Health Center’s was obtained using a pre–structured, pre–tested checklist which was prepared from Indian Public

Health Standards. It was found that OPD services were provided by all while only one PHC provided emergency

24*7 services.50% of the Primary Health Centers had laboratory services for routine blood/urine/stool tests and only

25% had facilities for electrography,X–ray, and USG. However, 100% of the PHCs provided rapid tests for

pregnancy .Although all Primary Health Centers provided ANC, family planning services but only 25% provided 24

hour delivery facility.New–born care was available at 75% PHCs while MTP services were available at only 25% of

the PHCs The services at Primary Health Centers are not up to mark there is deficiencies in the basic services.

Indian Public Health Standards should be taken seriously and evaluation should be done as per these standards at

regular intervals so that we can improve the service delivery right from Primary health care level.