PIMPRI CHINCHWAD: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is set to have at least 10 community clinics by the end of next month, civic officials said on Monday.
Also known as 'Jijau clinics', these centres will provide health services to residents of densely populated neighbourhoods and ease the burden on the civic body's main Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital.
They will also be the first healthcare intervention before a patient goes on to need specialised treatment.
PCMC commissioner Rajesh Patil said the tendering process for the clinics is currently underway. He confirmed that the units are expected to start by the end of August.
Vikas Dhakane, the PCMC's additional commissioner, said, "We have appointed a consultant and the locations of the community clinics have been finalised. Some 10 units will start as part of phase 1."
He added that the locations of the clinics were decided based on a "medical gap analysis", which indicates areas where health services are weak.
"Chikhali, for instance, is one of the areas where such facilities are required," Dhakane said.
On the manpower for the clinics, Dhakane said the PCMC is exploring all possibilities. "It is certain that these clinics will have our doctors, but staff could be appointed via outsourcing or with help from non-governmental organisations," he said.
The PCMC currently operates around eight civic hospitals including the tertiary care facility at Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital. The idea of community clinics was proposed in the 2022-23 budget by PCMC commissioner Rajesh Patil.
