1Department of Studies in Anthropology, University of Mysore, Manasagangothri, Mysore, Karnataka, India
2Professor, Department of Studies in Anthropology, University of Mysore, Manasagangothri, Mysore, Karnataka, India
Primary Health Centre is the cornerstone of rural health services- a first port of call to a qualified doctor of the public sector in rural areas for the sick and those who directly report or referred from Sub-Centres for curative, preventive and promotive health care. Today the Government introduced many health development programmes to improve health status of population. But still most of the programmes are not dynamic in expectations. Public Health Centres (PHC) is one of the basis of health care services in rural areas. Rural population are mainly depending PHC to cure their diseases. Developed health care facilities are an unavoidable element for the development of the country and to achieve that aim many schemes are implemented from time to time. Unfortunately it could not come under the success due to various reasons. Lack of basic infrastructure as well as non-availability of staffs including doctors and nurses is a severe issue in the health care centres of rural areas. Drained roads, lack of conveyance facility and unawareness of the services available in health care centresare the other drawbacks of the success of such kinds of development programmes. Comparing toother states in India, Kerala could move very fast in health care facilities but unfortunately failed to sustain the outcome of the development due to the failure in bringing investment to public sectors and also lack of far-sighted programmes. It resulted to form many diseases and it became familiar and difficult to meet the increased expenditure for treatment. To overcome these issues the government of Kerala included many schemes on the label of ‘Navakeralam mission’ in the 13th five year plan which is implemented through local self-governments, the scheme Ardhram is especially focussed on the improvement in health care facilities. Wayanad is one of the backward district in Kerala and also seen the highest tribal population in the state. The study focuses on the analysis of basic healthinfrastructure in primary health care centres in wayanad district, Kerala.
