BBMP to set up new health centres, upgrade existing ones

Sprucing up the city’s health infrastructure with advanced facilities, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has decided to set up new health centres in as many as 65 wards and upgrade the existing primary health centres by giving them a digital touch.

A high level meeting of BBMP health officials convened by Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Naryaan on Monday resolved to take up the work pertaining to the commissioning of health centres in 65 wards.

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Reviewing the health infrastructure of the city, Dr Ashwath Narayan said, “There are no primary health centres in about 65 wards of Bengaluru.” He directed the officials to commence health centres at these wards with immediate effect and if there is no place available, they be made operational in rented buildings. The officials agreed and assured the DCM that it will be commenced with immediate effect.

Noticing huge mismatch in the patients’ data, the DCM said that many health programmes of the state and centre have been implemented in Bengaluru. “We have been collecting data in different formats under every programme. This has resulted in the mismatch of patients’ data. All the data pertaining to patients be brought on to a single digital platform and provide treatment,” he said. He clarified that in a month’s time this will come into effect.

Revealing that a unified dash board of patients’ details is on the offing, DCM explained that the dashboard will provide complete details on the patient’s condition enabling doctors to start the treatment quickly, especially during the outbreak of an epidemic. According to him, the data from the private hospital will also be linked to the dashboard.

Taking healthcare to the poorest of the poor, the DCM also announced that five centralized health centres will be set-up. “Specialists will provide online treatment to patients in e-clinics that will be set up at BBMP health centres,” Dr Ashwath Nayaran briefed. BBMP Mayor Goutham Kumar, Deputy Mayor Mohanraju, Chairperson of the standing committee on health Manjunath Raju , BBMP Commissioner BH Anil Kumar and health officials were present during the review meeting.