CUTTACK: The National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) programme in Cuttack city has received a big boost with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laying the foundation stone for two urban community health centres (UCHCs) at Markat Nagar and Chauliaganj on Wednesday.
The UCHCs will have 30 beds and are being set up at a cost of `5 crore each. The hospitals will provide outpatient services and also admit patients with minor illness or for minor surgeries. They will also be centres for institutional deliveries.
The UCHCs will act as the first referral point linked to urban primary health centres (UPHCs) in the city. The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) is set to establish UPHCs at Thoriasahi, Tulasipur, Odia Bazaar, Jagatpur, Bidyadharpur and Bamphakud while its existing dispensaries at Jobra, Bidanasi, Khannagar, Nuabazar will undergo upgradation.
The Chief Minister went on an inauguration and foundation stone laying spree in the city amid heavy security cover. As many as 30 platoons of police were deployed along the entire route of the CM’s tour as Commissionerate Police exercised extreme caution to prevent any untoward incident like the egg hurling on his cavalcade by NSUI workers in Bhubaneswar earlier this year.
Naveen went on to inaugurate the new building of SCB Dental College, which has integrated all the dental disciplines, academic facilities, wards, OTs and Labs under one roof.
The four-storey building has been constructed at a cost of `6.70 crore in compliance with the stipulations of Dental Council of India (DCI) in lieu of increase of BDS seats from 20 to 50 and MDS seats to 40, Head of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Prof Indubhusan Kar, who officiated in absence of principal Prof JK Das, said.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Petanala road connecting Sector II and Sector X of CDA township.