The doctors in Primary Health Centres (PHCs)are serving not merely as physicians but also as planners, coordinators, and leaders of rural healthcare services. For more than 1.5 crore rural residents of State, these doctors and PHCs together represent the only accessible face of medical care. However, at present, PHC doctors across all districts of Chhattisgarh are suffering from stress-related health disorders due to excessive workload and the pressure of handling numerous cases with limited resources round the clock.

 

It may be mentioned here that the role of medical officers at PHCs extends far beyond clinical care—covering public health programmes, disease surveillance, and implementation of national and state health schemes. PHC doctors act as the bridge between the health system and the last person in remote villages. They balance the needs of the community with the policy objectives of the Union and State Health and Family Welfare Departments, thereby holding together a vast yet fragile healthcare network. Despite this critical role, they are deprived of adequate facilities and struggle to maintain their own health due to heavy workloads.

 

In every block, PHC doctors typically serve a population of about 25,000 to 30,000 in rural areas. As each block usually has only one or two PHCs, doctors and staff from a single centre are compelled to attend to patients from 15 to 20 villages. In urban areas, a PHC doctor often caters to more than 40,000 people. Single-handedly, PHC doctors manage not only common ailments such as colds and coughs but also cases related to maternal and child health, infectious and chronic diseases, geriatric conditions, and even mental health. In addition, they must maintain records and updates for all national and state health schemes.

 

In other states such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu, PHC doctors have comparatively better working conditions—they work only seven hours a day and are not required to handle complicated cases of pregnancy, chronic disease, or mental illness. Such cases are referred to Community Health Centres (CHCs), district hospitals, or medical colleges. Furthermore, these states have appointed at least two medical officers in each PHC to efficiently manage rural patient loads. In contrast, medical officers in Chhattisgarh face severe hardships, as they are required to be on duty 24×7 and must attend to cases involving chronic diseases, mental illness, and complicated pregnancies.

 

As a result of this overwhelming workload, many PHC doctors are now suffering from multiple health problems and are themselves in need of medical assistance. A senior medical officer and one of the deputy directors at Chhattisgarh Health Services stated that PHC doctors are under tremendous strain—expected to provide quality care, implement national health programmes, and maintain detailed records with minimal staff, allowances, and recognition.

 

He emphasized that the department must urgently appoint more personnel in these centers to ensure smoother functioning. Despite repeated attempts, Dr. Priyanka Shukla, Commissioner of Chhattisgarh Health Services, could not be reached for comment.