The coverage of population by PHC is

KGMU 2024

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: KGMU 2024

Explanation

According to Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), a Primary Health Centre (PHC) is designed to cover a population of 30,000 in plain (non-hilly) areas.
This norm is a fundamental component of India's three-tier rural healthcare delivery system, which also includes Sub-Centres and Community Health Centres.
The PHC acts as the first point of contact between the community and a qualified medical officer, providing essential health services.
Since the question does not specify the type of area (plain vs. hilly), the standard norm for plain areas is considered the default correct answer.

Option A: 50,000 is not the standard population norm for a PHC. It is closer to the population covered by some types of Urban Family Welfare Centres, but not a rural PHC.
Option B: 10,000 is not the standard population norm for a PHC. It is double the population covered by a Sub-Centre in a plain area (5,000).
Option D: 40,000 is not the standard population norm for a PHC.

Visual 1: Infographic: A chart illustrating the three-tier rural healthcare system in India, showing the hierarchy from Sub-Centre to PHC to CHC, along with the population norms for both plain and hilly areas for each level.
Visual 2: Flowchart: A diagram showing the referral pathway in the rural healthcare system, starting from the community level (ASHA, Anganwadi worker) to the Sub-Centre, then to the PHC, and finally to the CHC (First Referral Unit) and district hospital.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Population norms for Primary Health Centre (PHC) in India's healthcare delivery system as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
For community health nurses, knowing these population norms is essential for health planning, resource allocation, program implementation, and evaluating the reach and effectiveness of public health services.
These norms help in determining the number of health facilities and staff required for a given area, ensuring equitable distribution of healthcare resources.
What if? If the question had specified 'in a tribal area', the correct answer would have been 20,000, which is the established norm for PHCs in hilly, tribal, or difficult terrains.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question: 'PHC' (Primary Health Centre) and 'population coverage'.
This is a factual recall question based on knowledge of India's public health system.
Recall the three-tier structure of rural healthcare: Sub-Centre, Primary Health Centre (PHC), and Community Health Centre (CHC).
Remember the specific population norms for each level. For a PHC, the standard is 30,000 for plain areas and 20,000 for hilly/tribal areas.
Since the question is general and does not specify the terrain, assume it refers to the norm for plain areas.
Compare the recalled value (30,000) with the given options and select the matching one.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Population norms for Primary Health Centre (PHC) in India's healthcare delivery system.
Stem keywords: coverage, population, PHC
Lead-in keywords: is

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