Lucknow, Nov 12 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh government will set up over 5,000 health and wellness centres (HWCs) to cater to the rural populace.

The decision is designed to provide comprehensive primary health care services to the communities closer to their homes.

According to the government spokesman, the Yogi Adityanath government has worked in a planned and phased manner to expand the healthcare facilities and improve the medical and health infrastructure in the state.

In addition, the government has laid special focus on enhancing the health facilities for the people residing in rural and remote areas in the state. As a result, there has been a significant reduction in referral cases from small hospitals in the state to big hospitals.

With these 5,000 new health centres, the health schemes will also be implemented in a proper manner. The Health Department will ensure the presence of necessary medical equipment, doctors and paramedical staff at these new sub-centres.

The centres will have arrangements for maternal health, child health, immunisation, adolescent health, diabetes, blood pressure check-up, and treatment for communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Along with this, activities such as yoga and exercise, counselling, health education, emergency medical facilities will be available. Apart from immunisation and maternal health check-up and treatment, people will be made aware of ways to prevent the spread of seasonal diseases.

The spokesman further said that the community health officers (CHO) will remain present at sub-centres. The patients will also be referred to specialist doctors according to their treatment.

Staff nurses trained for six months from institutions like KGMU will be deployed as CHOs.