Kattur UPHC to be upgraded to a community health centre

The new Urban Primary Health Centre at Kattur in Tiruchi. on Saturday. | Photo Credit: M. MOORTHY The Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) at Kattur is set to be upgraded into a Community Health Centre (CHC), strengthening healthcare infrastructure and expanding access to specialised medical services for residents in the area.The existing six-bed facility will be upgraded to a 30-bed hospital, with additional rooms, operation theatres, and post-operative wards. Funds for the proposed expansion are expected to be released soon, a senior official said.Following the upgrade, the centre is expected to function round-the-clock and will be sanctioned additional manpower, including specialist doctors. The expanded facility is expected to improve access to healthcare services for people in the surrounding areas and reduce the need for residents to travel to government hospitals for specialised treatment.At present, the health centre has a doctor, four staff nurses, a laboratory technician, and a pharmacist, in addition to support staff. The UPHC has both inpatient and outpatient wards, a waiting area, laboratory, pharmacy, counselling room, and a conference hall. Separate sections for yoga, naturopathy and Siddha are available at the facility.The CHC is to be established under the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) with financial assistance from the Union and State governments. The scheme envisages establishing one CHC for every 2.5 lakh population to ensure effective healthcare delivery. At present, CHCs are functioning at East Boulevard Road, Woraiyur, and Beerangikulam.Similarly, the NUHM norms envisage one UPHC for every 50,000 population. With Tiruchi city having a population of around 12 lakh, the city requires 24 UPHCs. At present, 20 UPHCs and 36 health and wellness centres function in the city.The proposed upgrade of the Kattur UPHC is expected to particularly benefit residents of Kattur, Pappakurichi, and Tiruverumbur, where a significant number of low-income families reside, the official added. Published - September 05, 2026 06:56 pm IST