Abstract
This paper provides an evaluation of the quality of services and customer orientation of
Primary Health Centres (PHCs) against the backdrop of the changed environment in the
country with customer focus and efficiency emerging as the cornerstones of economic
transactions in private and public sectors alike. It focuses on ten selected PHCs of Uttar
Pradesh and covers the following stakeholders: Customers including patients who use the health care facilities of PHCs as well as
the relatives and their personal attendants. Community members covering the village public, local shopkeepers, local government
functionaries, local intelligentsia such as teachers and others having an interest
or stake in PHC activities. Doctors and staff of the PHCs. District Medical Officials responsible for controlling and monitoring the PHC
activities.
The paper draws, among others, the following conclusions: The customers and community members of the villages perceived the facilities and
services of PHCs to be deficient in many respects. Neither doctors and PHC staff nor the district officials are able to refute
adequately the issues raised by villagers about the quality of service of PHCs. While villagers do not like the panchayat (local government) coming into the
picture for improving the services of PHCs, district officials totally discount
privatization as a means for providing effective primary health care in rural
areas.
While it is not very easy to solve the primary health care problems of the Indian
villagers, yet the policy-makers can take recourse to the following measures to improve
the facilities and services of PHCs in future: Form village committees to monitor PHC facilities, resources, and services. Identify industry patrons/sponsors for each PHC for developing infrastructure,
facilities, and logistics without straining the scarce government resources. Constitute district-level user committees to monitor not only the PHC activities of
a district but also the activities of the District Medical Offices. Enable panchayat and district administration to perform monitoring and supporting
functions to ensure multiple checks on activities of the PHCs and District Medical
Offices.