Under the 15th Finance Commission, the Local Self-Government department (LSGD) has issued guidelines to local bodies for the utilization of grants in the health sector. According to the directives now, setting up urban polyclinics and improvement of facilities at existing primary-care centers are part of the plans, with the guidelines focusing on the decentralization of public health-related activities from the district level. As part of the guidelines, public-health units will be started at the block-panchayat level, which will be located in the block family health centers, to which a public health laboratory and a health management information system cell will be attached. At present, the block family health centers have a block medical officer, health supervisor, lady health supervisor, and lab technicians, while the newly formed block public health units will include an additionally appointed epidemiologist, public health personnel, two lab technicians, and a data manager.

The Finance Ministry has allocated 30.59 crores for the setting up of 75 block family health centers in the first phase. From the second phase, funds for the remaining 77 block family health centers will be allocated from the grants for 2022–23. Some of the projects will be implemented through the Arogya Keralam project, which will handle the human resources aspects, and the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited, which will handle the procurement of medical equipment.

At the village level, all institutions providing primary health care will be equipped with disease diagnosis facilities, out of which a total of 64 diagnosis tests will be conducted at the family health center and 14 tests at the sub-centers. Meanwhile, in urban areas, in addition to the new health and wellness centers, urban polyclinics will be opened that will provide specialist services, including ophthalmology, dermatology, psychiatry, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, optometry, physiotherapy, and palliative medicine.

(Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/guidelines-issued-to-local-bodies-for-utilisation-of-health-grants/article65849138.ece )