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Allied Institutions

Other Dispenseries & Hospitallatest news

Allied Dispensaries at:

Secretariat

2 Beds

High Court

3 Beds

MLA Hostel

2 Beds

Queen Mary’s College

2 Beds

Chepauk

2 Beds

Lady Willingdon College

2 Beds

Madras Medical College and Rajiv Gandhi Govt. General hospital in an urban city such as Chennai have 7 attached peripheral healthcare medical dispensaries located in Secretariat, High Court, MLA Hostel, Queen Mary’s College, Chepauk, Lady Willingdon College areas. Each dispensary caters to about 5,000–15,000 people, providing daily OPD services and weekly specialist clinics (e.g.,gynecology, pediatrics) through visiting doctors.

Peripheral healthcare medical dispensaries attached to a tertiary care hospital play a vital role in extending medical services beyond the main hospital campus. Here's a detailed breakdown of their purpose, structure, functions, and significance:

1 Overview

Overview

Peripheral healthcare medical dispensaries are small, community-based health units that operate under the administrative and medical supervision of a tertiary care hospital (such as a medical college hospital or a large government hospital). These dispensaries are usually situated in urban slums, semi-urban, or rural areas, away from the main hospital, to provide accessible and affordable primary healthcare services to underserved populations.

2 Objectives

Objectives

Extend outreach of tertiary care hospitals to peripheral or underserved areas.
Provide preventive, promotive, and curative services close to the community.
Serve as referral units to the tertiary hospital for complicated or specialized care.
Help in early diagnosis and treatment to reduce patient load at the main hospital.
Act as training grounds for medical, nursing, and paramedical students in community health.

3 Organizational Structure

Organizational Structure

Administrative Control:

Governed by the Department of Community Medicine (or similar) of the tertiary care hospital.
Staffing and budgeting are often managed by the parent institution.

Medical Staff May Include:

Medical Officer (MO): Often an MBBS doctor
Nursing Staff
Pharmacist
Lab Technician: In some cases
ANM / Health Workers
Support Staff: Clerical, cleaning, etc.

4 Services Offered

Services Offered

A. Outpatient Care

Treatment of common illnesses: fever, infections, minor injuries, chronic conditions (hypertension, diabetes, asthma).
Follow-up care for stable chronic patients referred from the tertiary hospital.

B. Preventive Services

Immunization programs
Antenatal and postnatal care
Screening for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and hypertension.
Health education and counseling (nutrition, family planning, hygiene, etc.).

C. Referral Services

Referring complicated cases to the parent tertiary care hospital.
Coordinating transport and documentation for referrals.

D. Minor Procedures and Dispensing

Dressing, injections, nebulization, minor wound care.
Dispensing basic essential medicines as per government supply (e.g., via EDL – Essential Drug List).

5 Role in Public Health Programs

Role in Public Health Programs

These dispensaries act as local implementation units for:

National Health Programs: TB control under NTEP, leprosy, malaria.
Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services
Family Welfare Programs
Health Awareness Campaigns: Nutrition, sanitation, and communicable disease prevention.

6 Educational and Training Role

Educational and Training Role

Field training sites for undergraduate (MBBS) and postgraduate students in Community Medicine.
Internship rotation centers for CRRIs (Compulsory Rotatory Residential Interns).
In some cases, also training for nursing and paramedical staff.

7 Advantages and Significance

Advantages and Significance

Decentralizes healthcare delivery by offloading patient volume from the main hospital.
Improves accessibility and equity in healthcare.
Acts as an effective interface between tertiary care and the community.
Facilitates data collection and surveillance at the community level (vital for epidemiological studies).
Strengthens continuum of care.

8 Challenges Facede

Challenges Faced

Resource constraints – limited staff, medicine supply, and diagnostic tools.
Low community awareness or trust in peripheral services.

Conclusion:

Peripheral healthcare medical dispensaries attached to tertiary care hospitals are crucial in bridging the gap between high-end tertiary care and grassroots-level primary care. They embody the principles of accessible, affordable, and community-centered healthcare, and form a core part of public health infrastructure in Tamil Nadu's healthcare system.