Process to set up 140 free wellness centres commences in city

The metropolis is all set to get more free clinics as the Greater Chennai Corporation has commenced process to set up urban health wellness centres (UHWC) under the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM).

A GCC official said that 200 health wellness centres have been planned to cover all the 200 divisions in the city. “During 2022-2023 financial year, 140 wellness centres will be created across the city. Remaining centres will be set up in 2023-2024 fiscal. Tender process has already started for some of the centres,” the official added.

The centres will treat fever, cough and other minor ailments, but not provide neo-natal care like urban primary health centres (PHCs). The civic body runs 140 urban PHCs, 19 urban community health centres and one communicable disease hospital. The community health centres and communicable disease hospital run for 24 hours.

Recently, the civic body relaunched 40 poly clinics that operate during evening hours only. Would wellness centres co-exist with other PHCs and community health centres? “They’d operate in every neighbourhood but in diversified locations to cover most of the population,” clarified the official.

Meanwhile, the civic body is conducting an internal survey to identify vacancies among doctors, nurses and other staff in Corporation hospitals.