Directorate of Health Care Services in Andaman and Nicobar Islands manages the health situation of residents here in an appreciable manner, in spite of all constraints. According to the report of 2001, the birth rate of these islands was 17.81 and death rate was 3.41 per thousand populations. While the infant mortality rate was 17.33 per thousand live births, the total fertility rate was 1.9 per thousand. However, the couple protection rate, which was 58. 16%, could not be achieved as it was expected because of the constant migration of people.
The health infrastructure in the islands here is saturated. However, improvement of qualitative service in the form of medicine, equipments and modernization is required. That is why they focus on consolidation of the existing infrastructure instead of further expansion. As the inhabited islands of Andaman and Nicobar are isolated from each other and they suffer the problems of communication bottlenecks and difficult terrains, all PHCs in the islands are provided with 10 beds.
The CHCs here have all facilities like 40-70 beds, X-ray machine, laboratory and blood transfusion facilities for better diagnosis and treatment. Ambulances, captive power generators sets, refrigerators and deep freezers for maintaining cold chain are the other facilities in the PHCs/CHCs. All PHCs and CHCs have sufficient number of staff including Doctors, Nurses and para-medical staff as per the norms prescribed by the Government of India. The network of Sub-Center, PHCs and CHCs provide primary health care services to the rural community of the islands. As per the relaxed norms of GOI, PHCs are established at a distance of 10 Km and sub centers at 5 Km in Andaman and Nicobar Islands irrespective of population.
The former Prime Minister Shri Adal Bihari Vajpayee launched telemedicine project on 3rd July 2002 linking the G. B Pant Hospital in Port Blair with Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research. With this much awaited project, the patients enable to interact with the Super Specialists directly without going to mainland. It helps them save their time, money and energy. The facility, which is already established in District Hospital Car Nicobar, will also be extended to PHCs and CHCs within the next 25 years in a phased manner.
RMRC is a designated WHO Collaborating Center for research, diagnosis, reference and training in Leptospirosis. It, by affiliating to Puducherry University, also conducts doctoral programmed in Entomology and Microbiology. Regular training programmes in Laboratory Diagnostic Procedures of Leptospirosis are also conducted here. Besides, several seminars, workshops, symposia are also conducted by this center on various aspects of both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Address: Post Bag No. 13, Port Blair 744101, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Phone: 03192- 251158, 251159
Website: www.rmrc.res.in
Besides the health centers, dispensaries and hospitals monitored by Government, there are many private Ayurvedic, homoeopathy and allopathy hospitals in Port Blair such as Pillar Health Centre, Welcare Ayurvedic Hospital, Dr Rekha’s Ayurvedic Hospital, Garacharma Hospital, Kerala Welcare Ayurvedic Hospital & Massage Nursing School, INHS Dhanvantari, Dinesh Dental Speciality Centre, Thyrocare and CSB Clinic etc.
The health infrastructure in the islands here is saturated. However, improvement of qualitative service in the form of medicine, equipments and modernization is required. That is why they focus on consolidation of the existing infrastructure instead of further expansion. As the inhabited islands of Andaman and Nicobar are isolated from each other and they suffer the problems of communication bottlenecks and difficult terrains, all PHCs in the islands are provided with 10 beds.
The CHCs here have all facilities like 40-70 beds, X-ray machine, laboratory and blood transfusion facilities for better diagnosis and treatment. Ambulances, captive power generators sets, refrigerators and deep freezers for maintaining cold chain are the other facilities in the PHCs/CHCs. All PHCs and CHCs have sufficient number of staff including Doctors, Nurses and para-medical staff as per the norms prescribed by the Government of India. The network of Sub-Center, PHCs and CHCs provide primary health care services to the rural community of the islands. As per the relaxed norms of GOI, PHCs are established at a distance of 10 Km and sub centers at 5 Km in Andaman and Nicobar Islands irrespective of population.
The Telemedicine Service
The former Prime Minister Shri Adal Bihari Vajpayee launched telemedicine project on 3rd July 2002 linking the G. B Pant Hospital in Port Blair with Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research. With this much awaited project, the patients enable to interact with the Super Specialists directly without going to mainland. It helps them save their time, money and energy. The facility, which is already established in District Hospital Car Nicobar, will also be extended to PHCs and CHCs within the next 25 years in a phased manner.
ISM and Homeopathy
Among the eight homoeo-dispensaries of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which are functioning under the ISM & Homoeopathy Unit, one is established in Port Blair in 1975. Besides these, there is also a 30-bedded ISM and Homeopathy hospital at Port Blair.Ayurvedic dispensary
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Union Territory, has some Ayurvedic dispensaries and the first Ayurvedic dispensary of the UT started on 30th November 2001 at Aberdeen Bazaar, Port Blair.GB Pant Hospital
GB Pant Hospital, which is the lone referral hospital of the entire union territory, has 412 beds and has specialized services such as medicine, surgery, gynaecology, ENT, paediatrics, pathology and ophthalmology etc. The hospital, which has an OPD attendance of 1200 patients per day, has 90% of bed occupancy rate. Medical Superintendent, who is assisted by Deputy Medical Superintendent, is the head of GB Pant Hospital. The GB Pant Hospital is planning to be upgraded and modernised by establishing super specialty department such as neurology, cardiology, oncology and urology to cater to the need of the population. It helps reduce the referral of severe patients to mainland for advanced treatment.Regional Medical Research Center (RMRC)
Regional Medical Research Center, which is located at Port Blair, conducts research on various communicable and non-communicable diseases prevalent in the islands of Andaman and Nicobar. The thrust areas of RMRC included leptospirosis, viral hepatitis, diarrhoeal diseases, tuberculosis, lymphatic filariasis and other vector borne illness such as chikungunya, malaria etc. Non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and psycho-social issues etc. are also included in the area of research of RMRC.RMRC is a designated WHO Collaborating Center for research, diagnosis, reference and training in Leptospirosis. It, by affiliating to Puducherry University, also conducts doctoral programmed in Entomology and Microbiology. Regular training programmes in Laboratory Diagnostic Procedures of Leptospirosis are also conducted here. Besides, several seminars, workshops, symposia are also conducted by this center on various aspects of both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Address: Post Bag No. 13, Port Blair 744101, Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Phone: 03192- 251158, 251159
Website: www.rmrc.res.in
Besides the health centers, dispensaries and hospitals monitored by Government, there are many private Ayurvedic, homoeopathy and allopathy hospitals in Port Blair such as Pillar Health Centre, Welcare Ayurvedic Hospital, Dr Rekha’s Ayurvedic Hospital, Garacharma Hospital, Kerala Welcare Ayurvedic Hospital & Massage Nursing School, INHS Dhanvantari, Dinesh Dental Speciality Centre, Thyrocare and CSB Clinic etc.
