Coming soon, nine more health and wellness centres in Chandigarh
As part of the Union government’s PM-ABHIM, nine outreach centres in Chandigarh will be converted into health and wellness centres with upgraded health facilities
The UT health department has started the process to extend the benefit of health and wellness centres (HWCs) at nine more locations in the city.
As part of the Union government’s Prime Minister-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), nine outreach centres will be converted into HWCs with upgraded health facilities.
These centres are located at Raipur Kalan, Badheri, Khudda Jassu, Kishangarh, Raipur Khurd, Khuda Lahora, Khuda Alisher, Indira Colony and Sector 44.
Chandigarh already has 29 HWCs and five Ayush HWCs in the city and the addition of nine more will take their number to 43.
The Union government had approved ₹6.75 crore for setting up more HWCs in Chandigarh and has already allocated ₹1.69 crore as initial funding.
Unlike outreach centres, HWCs provide care for an expanded range of services, encompassing communicable and non-communicable diseases, oral health, ENT care, basic emergency care and palliative care, apart from services for the elderly, women and children.
PM-ABHIM is a pan-India health scheme for strengthening health care infrastructure at the grassroots level. Launched in October 2021 with an outlay of ₹64,180 crore, it aims to accomplish comprehensive healthcare across the country in the next five years. Under the scheme, the states and UTs are focusing on setting up HWCs, labs and critical care units.
“Up to ₹25 lakh of the PM-ABHIM funds can be spent on upgrading infrastructure at each HWC and ₹2 lakh for basic equipment and furniture. The nine centres were included in the project in the last financial year, but work could not be taken up because of unavailability of funds. However, with funds coming in, now the upgrade work has started,” said UT health secretary Yashpal Garg.
Dr Suman Singh, director, health services, Chandigarh, said, “The outreach centres at Raipur Kalan and Khuda Jassu are functioning from only one room, while other rooms are being used for Anganwari and Sampark Centres. We are planning to either shift the health centre to a nearby vacant school or to relocate the Anganwari and Sampark Centres. At Badheri, the HWC will initially be started from the already existing three rooms and later more buildings will be added.”
“At Kishangarh, we are searching for a site to relocate the outreach centre, so that more space is available for the HWC. At Raipur Khurd, only some minor renovations are required at the existing outreach centre and the health facilities will be upgraded. The centres at Khuda Lahora and Khuda Alisher will be renovated,” she added.
“At Indira Colony, an HWC will be set up at the land available with PGIMER,” Dr Singh said, adding that all construction and renovation work will be started soon.
Trauma centre also proposed
Under the scheme, the UT health department has also proposed setting up a trauma centre at Manimajra, in replacement of a critical care unit. Proposed to be equipped with expert doctors and advanced facilities, the trauma centre will take care of victims of major natural or man-made disasters and road accidents.
Besides, an Integrated Public Health Laboratory will also be set up in Chandigarh under this scheme, which will extend comprehensive lab services, including diagnostics for infectious diseases, epidemiology, haematology, clinical biochemistry, microbiology, virology and pathology, among others.
