Bommai launches 108 Namma clinics in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Karnataka's chief minister Basavaraj Bommai officially launched 108 Namma Clinics within the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits on Tuesday.

"Every ward now has a Namma clinic open. People can make use of this to treat common ailments. We currently have 108 clinics open, and as we prepare to introduce more in the city, this number will rise over time. These clinics will offer medical care, pharmaceuticals, and teleconsultation services," CM Bommai said at the inauguration.

According to Sudhakar, the Namma Clinics are a sign of a new age in primary healthcare as the state government has given improving healthcare infrastructure in the state high priority.

At Bairadevarakoppa in Dharwad, the chief minister launched 100 Namma Clinics in December of last year. According to the health minister, a total of 438 of these clinics will help to ensure quality preventive and primary care for daily wage earners and labourers, among others.

Each Namma Clinic, according to Sudhakar, will serve 15,000–20,000 individuals and offer 12 services, such as antenatal, postnatal, and immunisation care.

"There is currently one primary health centre for every 50,000 people under the National Urban Health Mission. We are now establishing one primary health centre with funding from the 15th Finance Commission to serve 15,000–20,000 people in urban areas," said the minister. According to the minister, 243 of the 438 Namma Clinics would be in the BBMP and the remaining 195 will be in the districts

The goal of Namma Clinics is to offer comprehensive basic healthcare to everyone in metropolitan areas. Additionally, referral services will be offered, and patients in need of more intensive care will be referred to secondary and tertiary facilities. This will not only lower the cost of care but also decentralise the delivery of healthcare services, according to Sudhakar.

Each Namma Clinic will have a single physician on staff, one nurse, one lab technician, and one D-group employee. " There will be a total of 12 healthcare service packages available, including antenatal, postnatal, adolescent, immunisation, family planning, fertility, management of communicable diseases, general and minor injuries, NCD prevention, oral, eye, and ENT care, as well as mental health, geriatric, and laboratory services," he added. The health minister announced that teleconsultations, wellness activities like yoga, and referral services will also be offered. From Monday to Saturday, the clinics will be open to the public from 9 am to 4:30 pm. Each Namma Clinic is housed in a 1000 square foot space that has dedicated areas for a waiting area, an OPD consultation room, a vaccination ward, a laboratory, a yoga room, a pharmacy, an administrative section, etc.