A sub-health centre in Tirupattur.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay virtually inaugurated five health sub centres, mostly in tribal areas, and additional buildings for colleges and university in Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, and Tirupattur districts on Tuesday.
Health officials said that the existing health centres in tribal areas atop hillocks in the district were built more than three decades ago. Most of the structures were damaged and dilapidated.
The buildings of identified health centres, which were certified as unfit for use by the Public Works Department, were demolished. “Permanent buildings for identified health sub centres in tribal and remote areas in the district were opened. It will help provide basic health care to tribals in the hills. Adequate medicines can be stored safely in the new building,” N. Kalu Sivalingam, Deputy Director of Health Services (DDHS), Tirupattur, told The Hindu.
Accompanied by health officials, Tirupattur Collector G. Ravikumar inspected these buildings. The new permanent buildings for health centres are located in tribal villages such as Nayakkeneri, Nilavoor, Chinna Motor, Naikanur, and Nethiji Nagar. These villages come under Jolarpet, Alangayam, and Madhanur Panchayat Unions in the district.
Residents said that a permanent building for health centres was a long-standing demand. At present, residents of Nayankeneri and Nilavoor trek 8-10 km to reach Ambur and Jolarpet, the nearest towns that have government hospitals. “We have to walk through the forests from the hills to government hospitals in the plains. The new permanent buildings for health centres will help provide better medicines and ensure the presence of a Village Health Nurse in the hills,” said B. Perumal, a resident.
The health sub centre has two beds for in-patients, an out-patients block, a separate cabin for a Village Health Nurse, a common visitors hall, laboratory facilities, a pharmacy with adequate stocks.
Adequate parking space for ambulances and other vehicles will also be provided. Each health centre, on an average, was built at a cost of ₹45 lakh under 15th Finance Commission.
Health officials said that sub health centres have to focus on the health of expectant mothers, children, immunization programmes, and other government health schemes in remote villages. The Village Health Nurse was also trained to treat minor illnesses like fever and cold. The health centre will work between 8 a.m and 3 p.m on all days, except on Sundays.
In Vellore, Collector P.S. Leela Alex inspected 18 classrooms in three new buildings at Thiruvalluvar University near Katpadi after it was virtually inaugurated. Additional buildings at Thanthai Periyar Government Institute of Technology were also opened for use. The entire work costs ₹22.36 crore.
After many years, a permanent building for Government Polytechnic College at Nagapadi village on the Polur-Chengam Road in Tiruvannamalai was also opened at a cost of ₹6.25 crore.
Published – August 05, 2026 05:30 am IST
