CHC Full Form

CHC's full form is Community Health centers. A ‘healthcare center’ or community health center is one of a network of clinics administered by general practitioners and nurses who offer medical care to residents belonging to a particular area. The majority of individuals in nations will visit hospitals for healthcare checkups. The low-income earning residents of places with a restricted permit to primary healthcare are among the clientele in countries without universal healthcare services. The extensive medical facilities provided in the Central and Eastern European region are sometimes referred to as polyclinics.

What is CHC Full Form?

CHC full form is Community Health Centres. The community of general practitioners and nurses help CHC by offering medical care to local populations in a given area. The important services offered by CHCs include family practice and dental care. Still some hospitals have significantly extended services in sectors such as maternity care, pharmacy, birth control, optometry, laboratory analysis, pediatrics, internal medicine, women's health and much more. The Programme Evaluation Organization conducted the survey at the request of the Planning Commission to analyze the operation of Community Health Centres (CHCs) and their efficiency in bringing specialized healthcare service to rural areas.

Moreover, the Planning Commission's Health Division and the Department of Health and Family Welfare detected several specific challenges that the research required to address. CHCs are private and non-profit organizations that deliver potential healthcare services in response to consumer involvement, influence and population. Community Health Centres also provide necessary healthcare services for those in the area who lack access to primary and basic healthcare. In central and eastern Europe, the primary health care facilities are known as polyclinics.

CHC Overview

CHC full form as you know is Community Health Centres are private and non-profit organizations that deliver potential healthcare services in response to consumer involvement, influence and population. Community Health Centres also provide necessary healthcare services for those in the area who lack access to primary and basic healthcare. In central and eastern Europe, the primary health care facilities are known as polyclinics.

The research evaluations are following:

1. The suitability and needs of the current population and the location of CHCs in the context of enhancing accessibility to rural people,
2. Making use of CHCs and identifying their usage restrictions,
3. The function of CHCs is significant in the National Health Program and Family Welfare. 

The study aimed to locate the elements that would facilitate CHCs' success as referral centers.

Role of National Urban Health Mission

The National Urban Health Mission, written as NUHM was approved by the Union Cabinet on 1st May 2013 as a sub-mission under an overarching National Health Mission (NHM). The main purpose of establishing NUHM was to provide equitable and quality primary health care services to the urban population with a special focus on slum and vulnerable sections of the Society.

In general, NUHM seeks to improve and ameliorate the health status by facilitating the access of people to quality primary healthcare. NUHM covers all the cities and towns that have more than 50,000 population and district and state headquarters with more than 30,000 population.

The Urban Health program is being implemented under the guidance of Urban Local Bodies, written as ULBs, in seven metropolitan cities, viz., Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. For the remaining cities, the State Health Department makes the decision whether the Urban Health Programme is to be implemented through the health department or any other urban local body. The main aim of establishing the National Urban Health Mission is to provide basic healthcare facilities and fulfill the needs of the divided areas.

The package of services envisaged at Community Health Centres is inclusive of preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative care. Further, in order to strengthen and focus on ‘Comprehensive Primary Health Care’ across the country through the Ayushman Bharat (an initiative of the Government of India), states are upgrading their Primary Health Care Centers as Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs). In a larger area, the Community Health Centres play a major role. Urban Community Health Centre (U-CHC) is set up as a referral facility for every 4-5 Urban Primary Health Care centers. The Urban Community Health Centre (U-CHC) caters and is set up for a population of 250000 to 5 Lakhs. For the metro cities, UCHCs may be established for every 5 lakh population consisting of 100 beds. In addition to primary health care facilities, it provides inpatient services, medical care, surgical facilities, and institutional delivery facilities. The Urban Community Health Centre is a 30-50 bedded facility which enables it to accomodate a larger share of the population and provide first-hand care to maximum people.

Population Coverage and Location of CHCs

In 1996, a sub-center served 4737 people where a PHC served 28768 people and a CHC served 2.6 lakh people across India. Therefore, although there are variances between states and districts on the whole the total  population coverage of sub-centers and PHCs is substantially within the criteria established. However, in the respective case of CHCs, the population coverage is more than double of the maximum (1.2 lakh) allowed by the standard procedure.

Importance of Community Healthcare Services

To ensure that the patients receive the care needed for a healthy life, one can receive most of the services in a single location on the same day. This holistic and the wholesome approach includes dentists, pharmacies, substance abuse treatment, mental health services and more. Rather than sending patients to one doctor’s office or another, CHC can provide essential healthcare services under one roof at an affordable rate.

Goals of CHC's Regular Medical Clinics

CHCs provide accessible, integrated and inclusive services for their targeted population of people with some other group programs. Only community members are involved in the program formulation and effective management of public health centers which are accountable to the section of populations they represent.

A health center or community health center is one of a network of clinics staffed by a group of general practitioners and nurses who provide health care services to people in a particular area. Typically covered services under CHC are family practice and dental care but some clinics have expanded tremendously and may include internal medicine, pediatrics, women’s care, family planning, pharmacy, optometry, lab tests and more. In countries with universal healthcare facilities, most people use health centers.

In countries without universal health care, the CHC deals with the people who are uninsured, underinsured, low-income or who live in areas where there is little access to primary health care. In Central and Eastern Europe, the largest health centers are commonly called polyclinics. CHCs are being established and the maintenance is carried out by the state government under the MNP / BMS program.

Guidelines for CHC

According to the laid minimum standards, a CHC must be led by four medical specialists i.e. surgeon, physician, gynecologist and pediatrician supported by 21 paramedics and other staff members. It consists of 30 beds at the door with availability of an OT, X-ray, delivery room and laboratory facilities. CHC serves as a referral center for 4 PHCs and also offers various facilities for obstetric care and specialized consultations.

As per reports, as of March 31, 2019, there are 5,335 CHCs in operation in rural areas of the country. A significant increase is observed in various states such as Uttar Pradesh (293), Tamil Nadu (350), West Bengal (253), Rajasthan (245), Odisha (146), Jharkhand (124), and Kerala (121). The percentage of CHC in Govt. buildings have increased from 91.6% in 2005 to 99.3% in 2019.