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Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Family planning surgeries dip at Madurai UPHCs
Madurai: Despite increased awareness, family planning surgeries done at urban primary health centres (UPHCs) in Madurai city have seen a gradual decline over the past three years, according to official data. Family planning operation theatres going defunct in UPHCs temporarily are among the reasons cited for the decline. Health department officials told TOI that three UPHCs under Madurai corporation, at Sellur, K Pudur, and Ansari Nagar, which are upgraded community health centres, have facilities for performing family planning surgeries such as vasectomy and tubal ligation. The number of family planning surgeries performed at the three UPHCs came down from 173 in 2022-2023 to 57 in 2024-2025 till March. In fact, only 18 family planning surgeries were performed at K Pudur UPHC during the period, and the operation theatre was defunct for a while. At Ansari Nagar UPHC as well, only five family planning surgeries were recorded in 2024-2025. Health activist A Veronica Mary said the decline not only leads to more referrals to Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) but often discourages people from opting for family planning surgeries. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo "Access to getting family planning surgeries done should be made easy. People will not be willing to skip work for travel or wait for days to get appointments for such surgeries, which is what generally happens at GRH," she told TOI. "In private hospitals, family planning surgeries cost up to Rs40,000 or more, which some cannot afford," she said. She added that more specialist doctors need to be appointed and all UPHCs in the city should have facilities for the surgeries. Currently, there are only two anaesthetists and two gynaecologists appointed by Madurai corporation. City health officer (CHO) Dr P Indira said that until March 2025, only the operation theatre at Sellur UPHC was fully functional for family planning procedures. "We have now revived two more family planning operation theatres—at the UPHCs in K Pudur and Ansari Nagar. The K Pudur UPHC operation theatre became operational by the end of April, with around five family planning surgeries completed so far, including three vasectomies. In June, we also revived the Ansari Nagar theatre. With this, three UPHC operation theatres are now active in the city for family planning services, and people can approach them," she said.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Consider establishing fertility centre at GRH expeditiously: HC to state
Madurai: Taking into account that a proposal was sent to the govt regarding establishing a fertility treatment centre at Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai district, Madras high court observed that the govt may consider establishing the centre as expeditiously as possible. The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by an activist, A Veronica Mary. The petitioner sought a direction to the state to establish a fertility centre with all infrastructures, including PGD-IVF, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IMSI), laser hatching, sperm bank, egg bank, embryo bank, time lapse, fibroid clinic, and other required facilities at GRH in Madurai, for the benefit of poor childless couples. T by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo he petitioner's counsel submitted that the petitioner earlier filed a similar petition in 2018. After the authorities submitted that the proposal for starting the fertility centre and to procure the equipment was sent to the govt for orders, the court disposed of the petition. Though a proposal was already forwarded, no final decision was taken by the govt for establishing the fertility treatment centre at GRH. Therefore, the petitioner filed the present petition. A division bench of justice S M Subramaniam and justice A D Maria Clete observed that no doubt, it is a policy decision to be taken by the govt after considering various factors and mitigating circumstances. The court, not being an expert body in the medical field, cannot substitute its opinion regarding whether a particular treatment centre should be established. "However, there are growing demands from the public that such fertility centres are to be established strategically in various places enabling the poor people to take treatment. When the demand requires the establishment of such centres for the benefit of the people, any welfare govt has to consider the same in an effective manner," the judges observed. After suggesting the govt to consider establishing the centre expeditiously, the judges disposed of the petition.
