Kalimpong, Dec. 16: Primary healthcare will be available at a cheaper rate to residents living below the poverty line (BPL) in the civic area here from tomorrow.
Community-based primary health sub-centres will start functioning in five wards of the Kalimpong municipality. These will be located at Atithi Griha, Shantinagar, Mangaldara in Chivvo Busti, Chandralok and Relli Road. The project, sponsored by the Bengal urban development department, will be implemented by the civic body.
“The idea is to ensure 100 per cent immunisation of children below five years and institutional delivery of the newborn,” Sangay Zimba, the health officer of the Kalimpong municipality, told The Telegraph. Zimba is the project’s implementing officer.
Besides an immunisation unit, the sub-centres will have facilities like anti-natal and post-natal care, children’s growth-monitoring and health awareness clinics. These will remain open from 12 noon to 4pm on weekdays. “Kalimpong Subdivisional Hospital has deputed a doctor who will visit these sub-centres once every week,” said Zimba. The civic body will hire health workers to assist the doctor.
The sub-centres will also implement national health programmes like pulse-polio and tuberculosis eradication. “More sub-centres will be set up depending on the BPL survey,” Zimba added.
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