Number of bed recommended for community health center –
The core concept here is the standard bed allocation for different types of healthcare facilities. Community health centers (CHCs) are part of the primary healthcare structure. I remember that in India, the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) outline specific numbers. For a CHC, the typical number of beds is 30. That's a key point.
Now, the correct answer is 30 beds, so I need to explain why. CHCs are designed to serve a population of around 80,000 to 1,20,000 people. The 30 beds include both inpatient and maternity services. They provide a range of services, including emergency care, but not as extensive as a district hospital.
For the incorrect options, the user didn't provide specific choices, but common distractors might be 50 (more like a district hospital), 10 (too small for a CHC), or 500 (hospital level). Each of these needs to be addressed. For example, 50 beds might be for a sub-district hospital, and 100 for a district hospital.
The clinical pearl here is to remember the hierarchy: PHC (20 beds), CHC (30 beds), sub-district (50), district (100). Mnemonics like "PHC 20, CHC 30" could help. It's important for students to know these numbers as they frequently come up in exams testing public health infrastructure knowledge.
**Core Concept**
Community health centers (CHCs) are secondary-level healthcare facilities designed to serve populations of 80,000β120,000. The recommended bed allocation aligns with their role in providing inpatient care, maternal services, and emergency stabilization before referral to higher centers.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) recommend **30 beds** for a CHC. This includes 20 beds for general inpatient care and 10 for maternity services. CHCs function as a bridge between primary and tertiary care, offering 24/7 emergency services, but their bed capacity is smaller than district hospitals (100 beds) to maintain a streamlined referral hierarchy.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** 20 beds β This matches the bed recommendation for a primary health center (PHC), not a CHC.
**Option B:** 50 beds β Reflects sub-district hospital standards, not CHCs.
**Option D:** 100 beds β Corresponds to district hospitals, which handle larger populations and tertiary services.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
Memorize the hierarchy: **PHC (20 beds) β CHC (30 beds) β Sub-district (50 beds) β District hospital (100 beds)**. NEET/AIIMS questions often test this bed allocation pyramid to assess understanding of public health infrastructure.
**Correct Answer: C