KOLKATA: After the successful implementation of Suswasthya Kendras (SK) or the health wellness centres in the districts, the state Health department is now planning to open similar facilities in the city so that elderly citizens and expectant mothers need not visit the OPDs of the hospitals and can avail specialised treatment from these centres through video conferencing and tele-medicine consultations.
To further expand the reach of the scheme, the Health department is trying to set up many such health wellness centres within the city so that people can have one centre in their respective locality.
Around 324 areas have already been demarcated within the city and the project will be carried out by the Health department in collaboration with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and State Urban Development Authority (SUDA).
Patients will also get medicine free-of-cost from these centres in the city. Patients, particularly those who are unable to stand in the queue for long, can get their digital X-ray, ECG, liver and renal function tests done from these health wellness centres. People will be able to avail treatment in various disciplines, including medicine, gynecology, pediatrics, eye, etc.
It may be mentioned here that the patients from the remote parts of Bengal have already been availing these facilities from such centres in the districts.
This has taken off the pressure on government hospitals to some extent. Many more facilities are also coming up in the districts as well. Patients in districts will soon be able to avail specialised treatment in various disciplines, including cervical cancer, lung issues and mental illness through tele-medicine consultations, video calling and e-Prescriptions from these centres.
Patients can be given high-end treatment without being shifted to the city hospitals. State Health department will create various pools with 2 to 4 districts falling under each pool. State Health department had already laid emphasis on telemedicine services. For the smooth implementation, the state government has already come up with robust infrastructure, including opening up health and wellness centres in the villages. People are already getting treatment in many disciplines only through tele-medicine consultations.