The Chennai Corporation will commission integrated facilities for healthcare with eight new 40-bedded community health centres for secondary healthcare and 40 primary health centres (PHCs).
The Centre has sanctioned Rs. 42 crore for the new facilities under the National Urban Health Mission.
Work on at least 40 new hospitals in the zones of Tiruvottiyur, Manali, Madhavaram, Ambattur, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, Perungudi and Sholinganallur will commence shortly.
The civic body will also expand the existing community health centres in the old city limits. There are 86 urban PHCs and 93 family welfare centres in the old limits.
“We are identifying locations for the new centres. Most of the structures will be ready in three months. Residents in each of the eight added zones will receive secondary healthcare at the 40-bed hospitals, and also at the primary health centres,” said an official of the Corporation. “At least 100 doctors will be enlisted for the new centres,” said the official.
The health centres will have integrated facilities for maternal care and child health also. The facilities are likely to have evening clinics that will offer free healthcare, benefitting more than 18 lakh poor residents in the 2,500 slums in the city.
Many of the facilities in the old city limits will be located in the existing centres that will be expanded and renovated. A few of the added areas will have new structures.
The civic body has already identified gaps in the public healthcare system with a baseline survey.
