Faced with a severe shortage of radiologists, Madurai Corporation has stepped up efforts to improve antenatal care by deploying two additional obstetricians across its urban primary health centres (UPHCs). The move comes as a major relief for expectant mothers, enabling more timely and local access to ultrasound scans and reducing the burden on Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH).
Previously, just one radiologist was tasked with rotating between all 31 UPHCs, resulting in delays and underutilisation of ultrasound machines. Of the 19 centres equipped with scan facilities since 2022, many remained inactive due to lack of trained personnel.
Corporation health officials report that nearly 5,000 pregnant women visit the UPHCs each month. Since the addition of two obstetricians in May, the number of ultrasound scans has significantly improved—450 scans were recorded in May and 350 in June, up from the earlier average of 300 per month.
City health officer Dr. P. Indhira said the machines are finally being put to effective use. Plans are underway to train three more doctors to further ease the workload. As per antenatal care guidelines, five scans are recommended during pregnancy, but only one requires a radiologist’s interpretation. The rest can be conducted by skilled obstetricians.
Officials believe the improved staffing will help pregnant women access key services closer to home, reduce dependence on private centres, and ultimately improve maternal health outcomes in the city.