Primary health centers (PHCs) in India are basic health units that provide integrated curative and preventive healthcare to rural populations. PHCs aim to provide essential primary care services, including medical care, maternal and child health services, immunizations, treatment for endemic diseases, and health education. They operate according to the Indian Public Health Standards, which define standards for infrastructure, services, and staffing at PHCs. A PHC typically serves a population of 30,000 in plains or 20,000 in hilly/tribal areas, and provides outpatient and inpatient care, emergency services, and basic diagnostic testing.

1. PRIMARY HEALTH
CENTER

3. INDIAN PUBLIC HEALTHSTANDARDS
 In order to provide optimal level of quality health
care, a set of standards called Indian Public
Health Standards (IPHS) were recommended for
Sub- centres, Primary Health Centres (PHCs),
Community Health Centres (CHCs), Sub-District
and District Hospitals in early 2007.
 IPHS are a set of uniform standards envisaged to
improve the quality of health care delivery in the
country.

4. PRIMARYHEALTH CENTRE (PHC)
 Basic health unit to provide an integrated curative
and preventive health care to the rural population
with emphasis on preventive and promotive aspects
of health care.
 PHCs are organized on the basis of one
Rural PHC - 30,000 rural populations in the plains
20,000 population in hilly, tribal and
desert areas
Urban PHC- 50,000

5. FUNCTIONS OF PHC
The functions of PHC in India cover all the 8
essential elements of primary health care as
outlined in the Alma-Ata Declaration. They are :
o Medical care
o MCH including family planning
o Safe water supply and basic sanitation
o Prevention and control of locally endemic diseases

6.  Collection and reporting of vital statistics
 Education about health
 National Health Programmes – as relevant
 Referral services
 Training of health guides, health workers, local dais
and health assistants
 Basic laboratory services

7. All services provided by PHCs have been classified
as;
- Essential (Minimum Assured Services) or
- Desirable (which all States/UTs should
aspire to achieve at this level of facility)

8. SERVICES AT THE PRIMARY HEALTH
CENTRE FOR MEETING THE IPHS
 MEDICAL CARE :
 OPD services: •Atotal of 6 hours of OPD
services out of which 4 hours in the morning and 2
hours in the afternoon for six days in a week. Time
schedule will vary from state to state.
Minimum OPD attendance is expected to be 40
patients per doctor per day.

9.  24 hours emergency services : •appropriate
management of injuries and accident, First Aid,
suturing of wounds, incision & drainage of abscess,
stabilization of the condition of the patient before
referral, Dog bite/snake bite/scorpion bite cases,
and other emergency conditions.
 Referral services
 In-patient services (6 beds)

10.  MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CARE :
(including family planning )
 Ante natal care
 Intranatal care
 Post natal care
 New born care
 Care of child (According to IMNCI)

11. OTHER SERVICES
 MEDICAL TERMINATION OF PREGNANCIES :
Essential - Counseling and appropriate referral
for safe abortion services (MTP) for those in need.
Desirable - MTP using Manual Vacuum
Aspiration (MVA)
 MANAGEMENT OF REPRODUCTIVE TRACT
INFECTIONS / STIs
Essential - Health education for prevention of
RTI/STIs
Treatment of RTI/STIs

12.  NUTRITION SERVICES(Coordinated with ICDS) :
Essential - Diagnosis of and nutrition advice
to malnourished children, pregnant
women and others.
- Diagnosis and management of anemia
and vitamin Adeficiency.
 SCHOOL HEALTH :
•Essential - Screening of general health
- Basic medicines to take care of
•common ailments
- Immunization and Deworming

13.  ADOLESCENT HEALTH CARE
 PROMOTION OF SAFE DRINKING WATER AND BASIC
SANITATION
 PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF LOCALLY ENDEMIC
DISEASES
 IMPLEMENTATION OF OTHER NATIONAL HEALTH
PROGRAMMES
 TRAINING
 FUNCTIONAL LINKAGES WITH SUB-CENTRES

14.  RECORDS OF VITAL EVENTS AND REPORTING
 MAINSTREAMING OF AYUSH (Desirable)
 SELECTED SURGICAL PROCEDURES (Desirable)
 MATERNAL DEATH REVIEW (Desirable)

15. BASIC LABORATORY AND
DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES
Essential Laboratory services includes ;
 Routine blood, urine and stool tests
 Diagnosis of RTI/STDs with wet mounting,
Grams stain etc.
 Sputum testing for mycobacterium
 Blood smear examination for malarial parasite
 Blood grouping and RH typing

16.  Rapid tests for pregnancy
 RPR test for Syphilis
 Rapid test kit for fecal contamination of water
 Estimation of chlorine level of water using
orthotoludine reagent.
 Blood sugar
Desirable laboratory services includes;
 Blood Cholesterol.
 ECG

17. INFRASTRUCTURE
 The PHC should have its own building with
- Outpatient Department : separate
areas for consultation and
examination
- Wards : 4-6 beds
- Labour Room
- Waiting area
- Minor OT/Dressing Room/Injection Room
- Laboratory
- General store
- Operation Theatre (Optional)

18. - Waste disposal pit :As per GOI/Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines.
- Cold Chain room
- Logistics Room
- Generator room
- Office room
- Dirty utility room for dirty linen and used
items
OTHER FACILITIES include
- Residential Accommodation
- Computer
- Lecture Hall/Auditorium

21. TRANSPORT FACILITY
 It is desirable that the PHC has ambulance
facilities for transport of patients for timely and
assured referral to functional FRUs in case of
complications during pregnancy and child birth.
LAUNDARY SERVICES
 Provision for clean linen shall be made for admitted
patients. At least 5 sets of linen shall be made
available. Laundry Services may be available in
house or outsourced.

22. DIETRY FACILITIES FOR INDORE
PATIENTS
 Nutritious and well- balanced diet shall be provided
to all IPD patients keeping in mind their cultural
preferences.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
 Guidelines for Health Care Workers for Waste
Management and Infection Control in Primary
Health Centres” are to be followed