Special focus is being laid on making health facilities accessible to the general public in the urban areas of Uttarakhand. In this series, it has been decided to open 117 Urban Health and Wellness Centers in 13 municipal body areas in the first phase. These will be established at a cost of Rs 81.57 crore received from the 15th Finance Commission. A company has been nominated for their establishment, maintenance and operation. Slums located in urban areas will be given priority in the scheme. Health facilities will be available in these centers like primary health centers. The way the population pressure is increasing in urban areas, strengthening government health services in that proportion is no less than a big challenge. To overcome this, a blueprint was drawn to establish Health and Wellness Centers under the Urban Development Department in the municipal areas. Now it has got the support of the Central Government to give it a concrete shape on the ground. The 15th Finance Commission has allocated funds for the establishment of these centres. According to Urban Development Secretary Nitesh Kumar Jha, urban health and wellness centres will be established under the joint aegis of the Urban Development and Health Department. In the first phase, 117 centres have been proposed in 13 municipal bodies. This will benefit the general public by strengthening health services in urban areas. He also said that priority is being given to their establishment in those municipal areas where there are slums. This will also enable the residents of these slums to get health facilities near their homes. Each centre will provide medical and various health check-up facilities like a primary health centre. Braithwaite & Company Limited has been selected for the establishment, maintenance and operation of these centres.
The effort is to ensure that these centres come into existence as soon as possible. Based on the results of this initiative, it will be expanded to other bodies in the next phase.
