By Joseph Varghese/Staff Reporter
Residents could avail of the services of a health centre (HC) in the locality where they stay by 2016.
Replying to a query from Gulf Times, Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) managing director Mariam Ali Abdulmalik said people could avail of such a facility once the electronic system is completed by 2016.
Of late, there have been concerns among several sections of people who have to travel long distances to avail of medical facilities provided by the PHCC. Many have reported that it is highly inconvenient for them to travel to distant places to visit an HC.
Abdulmalik said such cases started occurring when the corporation started new health centres. “In some cases, when new health centres were opened, people were transferred to these places to balance the number of patients. Many of the health centres, such as Omar Bin Khattab and West Bay, were overwhelmed and they had to be taken care of.
“Moreover, we have to fully utilise the services of the new centres. So, we had to shift many of the existing people to the newly opened ones. When the Mesaimeer health centre was opened, we transferred many people to the new facility at Omar Bin Khattab health centre,” she explained. “However, there will not be any such transfer of people from one place to another hereafter as the electronic system is being put in place. Now, we can access the file from any health centre and there is no need of people to be spread wide. By 2016, the new system will be in place fully. So, they can be placed under the health centre located in the area where they are staying.”
She also pointed out that most health centres serve the area where it is situated. “Generally, people shift their residences and do not change health centres. We do have the facility to transfer their health cards to the new centres where they are staying.”