KMC inks MoU to train doctors on public health

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Public Health Foundation of India to provide training to its doctors on public health.

Atin Ghosh, deputy mayor and in charge of KMC's Health department along with senior civic officials were present at the MoU signing ceremony. Dr Sandeep Bhalla and Dr Dilip Jha represented the Public Health Foundation of India.

The KMC doctors will be given training in public Health management which will help them to run the administration in a much better way.

So far the civic authorities are giving training to their doctors in the management of different diseases like Cardiovascular disease, stroke diabetes and hypertension. The Public Health Foundation of India prepares the training module for the KMC doctors and the training programmes are monitored by senior specialists.

Under the current training module, doctors will be given training on dengue and rabies management along with various projects under the National Health Programme. "Training in public health is required for doctors for public health management. The doctors are given training round the year," the official said.

It may be mentioned that KMC will be the country's first civic body to open a 100-bed hospital exclusively for dengue and malaria patients.

The KMC has 133 urban health centres where the patients are examined and treated by senior doctors. It has been found that the number of patients suffering from hypertension and diabetes are going up alarmingly. The doctors give medicines to the patients free of cost. If it is found that despite medicines, the blood sugar level of the patients cannot be controlled, then they are referred to the Borough level health care centres where the patients are examined by specialists.

The KMC organises three outreach camps per month for every ward where specialists from various disciplines like heart, hypertension, skin examine the patients.