PHCs up the ante, ‘A’ grade centres triple

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Government Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across Andhra Pradesh have registered significant improvement in performance over the last six months, with the number of top-performing ‘A’ grade centres nearly tripling, according to a latest review conducted by the State Health Department.

Data submitted by Director of Public Health Dr. Padmavathi to Medical and Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav revealed that the number of ‘A’ grade PHCs increased from 107 in October 2025 to 312 by March 2026. At the same time, ‘B’ grade PHCs rose from 354 to 455, indicating a steady improvement in healthcare delivery standards at the grassroots level.

Officials said nearly 306 PHCs improved their performance rankings during the six-month review period, while the number of lower-ranked centres in C, D and E categories witnessed a gradual decline.

The evaluation was carried out based on Health Management Information System (HMIS) data covering outpatient services, inpatient care, laboratory testing, deliveries and other healthcare indicators. Andhra Pradesh currently has 1,144 PHCs, each assessed on a five-point performance scale. PHCs are expected to record at least 1,500 outpatient visits, 100 inpatient or day-care admissions, 3,000 laboratory tests and 10 deliveries per month to secure higher rankings.

Health officials attributed the improvement to continuous departmental reviews and targeted monitoring initiated by the state government. Minister Satya Kumar Yadav has reportedly directed officials to focus specifically on underperforming centres during review meetings, prompting district-level monitoring and corrective measures.

Several PHCs maintained consistent top performance throughout the review period. Kurabalakota PHC in Annamayya district secured ‘A’ grade rankings continuously from October to March. Similarly, Brahmanagudem, Chagallu and Nallajerla PHCs in East Godavari district, along with Tetagunta PHC in Kakinada district, remained in the top category for six consecutive months.

District-wise data for March 2026 showed strong performance in West Godavari, where 33 out of 34 PHCs secured ‘A’ grade status. Krishna district recorded 42 ‘A’ grade PHCs out of 49, while YSR Kadapa reported 42 out of 57 and Vizianagaram 32 out of 48.

However, challenges remain in some districts. Chittoor district recorded the highest number of ‘D’ grade PHCs at 10, followed by Alluri Sitharama Raju district with nine and Polavaram district with eight. Seven PHCs statewide remained in the lowest ‘E’ category.

Officials said the improved PHC performance is expected to strengthen rural healthcare delivery and reduce pressure on higher-level government hospitals.