KMC to open 7 more satellite health centres by July 10
Kolkata: In a bid to augment its capacity in rendering health services, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will be setting up at least seven more satellite health centres by July 10 and seeks to increase the coverage area of its mobile health units.
KMC councillor of Ward 121, Rupak Ganguly requested the KMC to restart its monthly health camps where apart from general medicine, diagnosis of eyes, bone health condition etc. used to be carried out by the medical officers.
He regretted that such an initiative has been stopped and is now taking place once every three months and that too, apart from general medicine, diagnosis for only one specific area is being made. He said this has deprived many people residing on the fringes of his ward since the main ward health centre is far from their locations.
Atin Ghosh, deputy mayor and Member Mayor-in-Council (MMIC), Health, informed that the decision to carry out such monthly health camps was discontinued from April 2023 following a notification from Swasthya Bhavan which suggested that instead these camps be held once every three months. He said there are mainly three reasons for this. Firstly, the decision from Swasthya Bhavan came following a notice from the director of the National Health Mission which said that funds will be provided for organising camps once every three months.
Ghosh said the second reason is that the KMC is now setting up satellite health centres that will act as additional support to the main health centres.
These satellite centres will also have doctors and will render necessary treatment. The KMC has plans to set up 40 such centres for which space has been identified. “Six centres have already been inaugurated while seven more will come by July 10.” Thirdly, he said KMC has also introduced mobile medical units that are rendering health services from 9 am to 12 pm and then again from 1 pm to 4 pm.
These are covering 12 wards in a week and councillors are identifying the spots where these vehicles will park to render the health services. Several facilities are being
provided such as check-ups of expecting mothers, ECGs, blood tests etc. Ghosh said there are five such vehicles presently. Vehicle number one is catering to Borough I-IV in wards, 1,2,3,6,12,15,18,14,21,26,28 and 29. The second car is attending wards 56,57,59 and 66 in Borough-VII. The third car is visiting wards 103,104,108,109,110,11 and 112 in Boroughs XI and XII. The fourth car is visiting wards 91,95,97, 99, 100,124,126,142 and 144 in Boroughs X and XIV.
The fifth car is catering to Boroughs IX and XV in wards 79,80,133,134,135,137,138,139 and 140. He said that if necessary ward 121 can also be included in the list where such mobile units will visit.
