MEDICAL & PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES

MEDICAL ORGANISATION

The medical organisation in the district is essentially a hospital organisation intended to render medical relief to the general population. The civil hospital at the headquarters and the T.B. sanatorium at Ambejogai are the only institutions under the medical department in Bhir district. In addition, there are eight civil dispensaries, rural medical relief centres and subsidised medical practitioner's centres located at various places in the district. These are under the control of the Zilla Parishad.

Civil Surgeon, Bhir.—The civil surgeon, Bhir, is the administrative head of the civil (District) hospital, Bhir. He is directly subordinate to the Surgeon General with the Government of Maharashtra, Bombay. He acts as an inspecting authority in respect of all dispensaries (government and local bodies) in the district. He keeps himself informed about the medical matters in the district and furnishes any information on medical matters that may be required by government. Five medical officers of Class II (M.M.S.) and three medical officers of Class III (M.M.S.) rank work under the civil surgeon.

Civil Hospital, Bhir.—The present civil hospital is housed in three rented buildings. It has an out-patient ward, an in-patient ward with 33 beds and a maternity ward with 16 beds. A new well-equipped hospital building was expected to be complete by 1965-66.

The advisory committee of the hospital with the civil surgeon as its chairman helps in the management of the hospital.

In the absence of any specialised institutions in the district, leprosy and mental cases are treated at the private dispensaries.

T.B. Sanatorium, Ambejogai.—The T.B. sanatorium at Ambejogai accommodates 200 T.B. patients and 50 general patients. It is well-equipped for X-ray, blood transfusion and other laboratory apparatus and has an operation theatre where major surgical operations are performed. A proposal to develop the sanatorium as a therapic and surgical centre and to provide 400 additional beds for the T.B. patients, is under consideration.

The staff at the sanatorium consists of six doctors (including one lady doctor) headed by the superintendent who is a high qualified surgeon.

Civil Dispensaries

The eight civil dispensaries (allopathic) in the district are located at the following places, viz., Georai, Manjlegaon, Ashti Patoda, Kaij, Ambejogai, Parali and Dharur. Each dispensary is under the charge of a medical officer. The number of outpatients treated at these dispensaries during the period from 1956 to 1962 was as follows: —

There are ayurvedic dispensaries in the district at Mouj, Rakshasabhuvan, Talkhed, Shirur, Takelsingi, Bardapur, Pangaon and Ghatnandur. Each is in charge of a vaidya.

There are five unani dispensaries in the district located at Bhir, Devlali, Sirsala, Amalner and Wedwani each in charge of a tabeeb.

Besides, there are two subsidised medical practitioner's centres one each at Gangamasala and Asardhoe and a grant-in-aid dispensary at Neknoor.

In 1962 the ayurvedic, unani and grant-in-aid dispensaries together treated 1,20,720 patients.

The anti-leprosy, anti-T.B. and family planning schemes are being promoted through the civil, ayurvedic and unani dispensaries and the health centres in the district. Refresher courses are arranged for the vaidyas and the tabeebs.

Village medical boxes are found to be of immense value in the interior of the district where no other medical aid is available. So far, 100 villages are provided with medical boxes and medicines are regularly supplied to them. Nearly 40,000 patients are treated annually under this scheme.

The dried milk powder supplied by the United Nations International Children's Education Fund is distributed to the school children in the district. In addition, the anti-leprosy centres and the civil hospital, Bhir are supplied with milk powder for the benefit of the leprosy and T.B. patients.

T. B. Control

The Zilla Parishad carries its work of T.B. control through the civil, ayurvedic and unani dispensaries and primary health centres within its jurisdiction.