Beach Centre for Assisted Reproduction (B-Care), a state-of-the-art infertility clinic will be operational at the General Hospital in Kozhikode Beach in less than a month. B-Care is the first of its kind under the Department of Health Services in North Kerala. The only other infertility clinic in government sector in the region is the one in the Institute of Maternal and Children’s Health in Government Medical College, Kozhikode. But it comes under the Department of Medical Education.
Head of the Department of Gynaecology at the Beach Hospital Sheeba T. Joseph, who is in charge of the project, said that the centre is the result of a joint effort of the government and Junior Chamber International, Kozhikode chapter. The Centre is located in an old building in the hospital that has been effectively renovated to suit an infertility clinic under the aegis of JCI Calicut. The Medical equipment required have been purchased using the Local Development Fund of MLA A. Pradeep Kumar, who was the main brain behind the project.
“The works are almost complete and we can start counselling in no time. In less than a month, we will get all the equipment and the centre will be fully operational,” Dr. Sheeba said.
Haven for patients
The centre will be a haven for patients, who cannot afford the infertility treatment in private clinics at present. It will have facilities for counselling, laboratories, medical treatment, ultra sound scanning and Intra Uteral Insemination in the first phase.
The Centre will be part of the Department of Gynaecology in the hospital, but as a separate unit. “The will be separate staff for the centre as the present strength of the department is not enough to accommodate the needs of the centre, which requires more patience and dedication,” Dr. Sheeba added.
The logo of the centre was launched on Friday by Mayor Thottathil Raveendran with vice president of JCI International Jennifer Grace. Besides District Medical Officer R.L. Saritha, JCI national president Rajasree Bhaje, zone president Afsal Babu and chapter president Ayna Tamton were present on the occasion.
