Kolkata: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) in collaboration with ECHO India unveiled new hubs to strengthen healthcare across urban communities in the city through curated training programmes for the medics and paramedics.
The newly-unveiled hubs, including Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) in wards 11, 25, 46, 55, 57, 73, 81, 104, 108, 131 and 142, will serve as capacity-building focal points. Simultaneously, five ECHO KMC public health capacity-building programmes will be launched, each tailored for knowledge dissemination and skill enhancement, aimed at uplifting healthcare services for residents across diverse communities.
KMC officials said that the finalised topics for the new programmes through the ECHO model encompass a wide range, including Health Management Information System (HMIS), non-communicable diseases, reproductive, maternal, newborn child, and adolescent health, community process, and food safety.
Atin Ghosh, deputy mayor and Member Mayor In Council (MMIC) health, said: “Our longstanding collaboration with ECHO India has been instrumental in implementing capacity-building programmes. The launch of these new hubs underscores our commitment in advancing public health initiatives across urban communities.”
Dr T K Mukherjee, advisor, KMC (health) said: “The past year witnessed remarkable progress with the establishment of multiple ECHO hubs and capacity building programs, all oriented towards enhancing healthcare for residents. Today’s launch is a testament to our dedication to advancing healthcare practices and accessibility.”
Dr (Col) Kumud Rai, chairman of ECHO India, said: “We are honoured to work alongside KMC in this journey towards enhanced community health. The new hubs represent an important step in expanding our collaborative efforts for the betterment of public health, with a focus on the diverse healthcare needs of urban communities.”
A civic body official said that it seeks to teach and train medics and paramedics to render better health services to the people. This training is being provided through a digital platform free-of-cost.