Nungambakkam PHC shut since 3 years, locals fume

CHENNAI: The Primary Health Centre at

Tirumurthy Nagar

in Nungambakkam, fully equipped to provide preliminary health care, has remained closed for nearly three years, putting poor patients in limbo, say residents of the area.The space in front of the sprawling facility on Noor Veerasamy Lane, now locked, has been encroached upon by flower sellers and those hawking other stuff.

While officials of

Greater Chennai Corporation

, which ran the centre, say it had been merged with the maternity centre in Pushpa Nagar, also in Nungambakkam, residents and some former staff of the centre say the facility in

Pushpa Nagar

say it is being run with skeletal staff and lacks the equipment required.

D Leelavathi, a retired employee who served at the defunct PHC, said very few patients went to the new facility . “Expecting mothers will now have to go the centre near the powerhouse in Kodambakkam. I have approached the local counsellor, ruling politicians, health authorities but no one seems to be bothered in reopening the centre,“ she said.

Alleging that rumours of some political parties vying to grab the building, located on prime real estate, to house their party offices, she said, “It is time we came out to the streets to stage a protest to vent out our anger.“ A philanthropist had gifted the land to the state government 150 years ago and asked it to build a health centre for the poor and needy , Leelavathi said.

M Maran, who runs a small bu siness in the area, said hundreds of poor patients from Pushpa Nagar, Susaipuram and other adjoining areas in Nungambakkam as well as people from areas like Chetpet were suffering due to the closure of the centre. If reopened, he added, it would be a boon for those living below the poverty line.

Until three year ago, Leelavathi said, the centre in Thirumurthy Nagar offered care to nearly 300 patients, including those suffering from

malaria

and

dengue

, daily . “Everything is in place at the centre. It now only requires a medical officer, nurses and staff.Corporation officials said there was no plan to reopen the centre.