Construction of 31 wellness centres begins in Tiruchi

Tiruchi Corporation plans to complete construction of 32 wellness centres and two laboratories within six months.

Collector S. Sivarasu on Monday inaugurated the construction of a wellness centre at Karumandapam. He was accompanied by Corporation Commissioner P.M.N. Mujibur Rahuman.

The facility is among the 32 wellness centres and two laboratories sanctioned by National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) for Tiruchi city, which has 18 Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHC).

Each UPHC will be attached with two wellness centres and led by the Chief Medical Officer of the UPHC. The initiative is aimed at enabling patients to get first-level emergency and trauma care in addition to alternative medicinal therapies and yoga.

According to Mr. Rahuman, sites have been allotted for all wellness centres based on density of population and availability of space. Each centre will cost ₹25 lakh. Similarly, ₹22 lakh will be spent for each laboratory. NUHM has sanctioned ₹9.44 crore for the project. Work orders have been issued for construction of 31 wellness centres and the process of awarding contract for the remaining one will be completed soon. Instructions have been given to contractors to complete the works within six months and it has been planned to open the facilities in July or August.

The centres will have a built-up area of 844 sq. ft. with three rooms, waiting hall for patients, yoga hall and sanitary facilities. They will focus on extending alternative medicinal practices and therapies to patients such as exposure to yoga practices, breathing techniques and natural ways of healing.

The posts of medical officers, nurses and attendants are yet to be known. All of them will be appointed on a temporary basis and the NUHM has committed to providing salary to them, he added.