## Community Health Centre (CHC) — Role and Function **Key Point:** The CHC is the first referral centre in the Indian public health system, serving as the link between PHCs and district hospitals. It provides secondary care and acts as a hub for PHCs in its catchment area. ### Three-Tier Public Health System Structure ```mermaid flowchart TD A[District Hospital]:::outcome --> B[Community Health Centre<br/>CHC]:::action B --> C[Primary Health Centre<br/>PHC]:::action C --> D[Sub-centre<br/>SC]:::action D --> E[Community]:::outcome B -->|Referral| A C -->|Referral| B ``` ### CHC Characteristics | Feature | Details | | --- | --- | | **Catchment Population** | 120,000 (plain areas); 80,000 (hilly/tribal) | | **Bed Strength** | 30–50 beds | | **Primary Function** | Secondary care + referral services | | **Key Services** | Emergency obstetric care, surgical services, diagnostic facilities | | **Staffing** | Senior auxiliary nurse midwife, male health worker, ANM, ASHA | **High-Yield:** CHC is the **first referral centre** — this is the cardinal function and is heavily tested. It bridges primary care (PHC) and tertiary care (district hospital). **Clinical Pearl:** CHCs are equipped to handle complications from PHCs, provide emergency obstetric care (EmOC), and conduct minor surgical procedures. They are critical for reducing maternal and child mortality. [cite:Park 26e Ch 3]
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