KOLKATA: The New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) has opened urban health and wellness centres in five different locations across New Town. All the centres have OPD facilities as well as non-communicable disease screening, routine child immunization, health check-up for pregnant women and wellness activities, like nutrition counselling and guidance on basic physical activities.
The centres have been set up near the fair ground in Action Area IB, at the utility building near DLF 5, Action Area ID, at Fuji Soft building in Action Area III, at Shapoorji Bus stand in Action Area III and at the PHE boosting pumping station near Tank number 12 in Action Area I.
Officials said the medical facilities are free and the centres will operate daily from 10am to 4pm except on Sundays. Each of the centres is currently manned by a nurse. Doctors will be periodically visiting the centres.
The idea to have such wellness centres with OPD facilities in New Town had stemmed from the feedback received from local residents that there is a scarcity of affordable hospitals in the township. NKDA officials said the centres have been set up as a first line of defence for residents to get treated for any medical emergency and seasonal outbreaks like dengue or malaria in close proximity to their homes. Not only treating patients and having routine child immunization facilities, there will be counselling on overall basic physical and mental wellness and dietary consultations, officials said.
"Apart from routine check-ups for patients, the wellness centres will also be able to keep a tab on Covid trends at the ward level," said an official. The authorities have been operating a Covid vaccination centre at the terminus building in Action Area I.
The Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is also working on plans to have urban wellness centres with an outdoor clinic and a doctor on call in all its 41 wards across Salt Lake and Rajarhat.
